MUSCAT : Oman will take part in the meetings of GCC Ministers of Trade, Industry and Standardization, alongside the “Made in the Gulf 2026” Forum and Exhibition, hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Omani delegation will be headed by H.E. Eng. Ghalib bin Saeed Al Maamari, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Trade and Industry.

Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Riyada), the Consumer Protection Authority and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry will also participate, while 29 Omani companies will showcase their products and manufacturing capabilities at the accompanying exhibition.

The GCC ministerial programme includes the 71st meeting of the Trade Cooperation Committee, the 57th meeting of the Industrial Cooperation Committee, the 12th meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Standardization Affairs and the 15th consultative meeting between GCC trade and industry ministers and heads of federations and chambers.

H.E. Al Maamari said Oman’s participation comes at a stage when Gulf integration needs to move beyond policy coordination towards delivering a greater impact on trade, industry and investment.

He highlighted the importance of removing barriers to the flow of goods, strengthening interconnected value and supply chains, developing standardization systems and creating greater opportunities for the private sector to expand within and beyond the Gulf market.

He added that the GCC countries possess a strong economic, industrial and logistics base capable of supporting higher levels of integration. Connecting production capabilities and comparative advantages across member states, he said, could strengthen Gulf content, create joint industrial and investment opportunities and enhance the global competitiveness of Gulf products.

Oman’s participation with 29 national companies at “Made in the Gulf 2026” will highlight the diversity and growing production capabilities of Omani industry. The exhibition will also give participating companies opportunities to explore partnerships, contracting, distribution and export deals with Gulf investors and businesses.

The forum will bring together ministers, policymakers, industry leaders, investors and experts to discuss the future of Gulf manufacturing. Discussions will cover access to global markets, green and sustainable manufacturing, industrial investment, product quality and competitiveness, infrastructure, supply chains, financing, industrial partnerships, local content, smart factories and innovation.

An accompanying knowledge programme, running until October 8, will focus on areas including Gulf standardization and conformity, artificial intelligence and industrial transformation, smart factories, sustainability and quality infrastructure.

Through its participation, Oman aims to strengthen the position of its national industries within the wider GCC manufacturing ecosystem, expand export opportunities for Omani companies and translate Gulf economic integration into joint projects and value-added opportunities.

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