Cebu City: Held under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), and local authorities in Cebu City, the forum brought together high-level government officials and business leaders from both nations to explore a wide range of bilateral investment opportunities.

In his opening remarks, His Excellency Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, highlighted the need to translate the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries into concrete trade and investment partnerships.

His Excellency underscored Oman’s potential in sectors such as green and renewable energy, logistics, tourism, real estate development, food industries, healthcare, artificial intelligence, data centers, robotics, and information technology. He stressed the importance of creating a fertile environment for investments and disseminating knowledge about mutually beneficial opportunities.

“Oman is a preferred destination for many Filipino workers who have found a second home where they enjoy safety and respect,” he noted. “Approximately 50,000 Filipinos live in an environment of understanding and tolerance. This solid humanitarian foundation serves as a starting point for expanding cooperation between the two countries, extending beyond the workforce to include trade and investment sectors, opening up broader horizons for the business communities in both the Sultanate of Oman and the Philippines,” he said.

The forum aims to build lasting cultural, commercial, and tourism connections while offering an attractive platform for cross-border collaboration between the private and public sectors.

Also present at the event was His Excellency Dr. Mahad bin Saeed Baowain, Minister of Labour, along with a number of senior representatives from both Omani and Filipino government institutions and private enterprises.