Muscat: The seventh meeting of the Economy, Trade and Industry Coordination Committee under the Omani-Saudi Coordination Council, will bring together officials and representatives of relevant authorities from both countries to review the progress of joint initiatives, address challenges affecting bilateral trade and discuss new measures aimed at strengthening economic cooperation.

The Omani delegation will be headed by Eng. Ghalib bin Saeed Al Maamari, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Trade and Industry, while the Saudi side will be led by Eng. Rakan bin Wadhah Trabzoni, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Planning for International Economic Affairs.

The two sides are expected to review initiatives designed to increase intra-regional trade and non-oil exports, strengthen industrial supply chains and encourage investments by Omani and Saudi companies in both markets.

Among the key areas under discussion will be efforts to reduce barriers to bilateral trade, include products manufactured in Oman and Saudi Arabia in their respective industrial-capability lists, and provide equal treatment to Omani and Saudi companies in government tenders and procurement.

Officials will also discuss cooperation in attracting industrial investments, developing non-oil exports, promoting competition and combating monopolistic practices, as well as facilitating the registration of Omani products with Saudi regulatory bodies.

Al Maamari said economic, commercial and industrial relations between Oman and Saudi Arabia continue to grow, supported by a shared determination to deepen economic integration.

He said the next phase would focus particularly on initiatives that directly benefit businesses and the private sector by facilitating trade and investment, resolving obstacles to commercial exchange, strengthening supply chains and creating new opportunities for joint investment.

The committee is also looking to expand cooperation into high-value and technology-driven industries.

Eng. Khalid bin Salim Al Qasabi, Director General of Industry at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, said Oman hopes to create new opportunities for businesses in sectors including semiconductors, electronic chips, modern technologies and ready-made factories.

He also highlighted the potential to make greater use of Oman’s strategic location as a re-export hub and increase trade between the two countries.

A key outcome of the Salalah meeting will be the signing of an executive programme to activate the memorandum of understanding between Oman’s Ministry of Economy and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Economy and Planning for 2026-2028.

The programme is expected to turn areas of cooperation into practical projects and initiatives that can be monitored and implemented by the two countries.

The upcoming meeting follows the sixth session of the committee held in Saudi Arabia in November 2025, where the two sides reviewed ongoing and proposed economic, trade and industrial initiatives as part of wider efforts to achieve greater economic integration.