Muscat: A workshop between the Sultanate and Italy via visual conference on investment opportunities between the two countries in the fisheries sector was held on Thursday.
A statement issued online by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries Wealth & Water Resources (MAFWR) said, “Within the framework of joint cooperation between the Sultanate and the Republic of Italy, on Thursday morning, a workshop was held via video conference on investment opportunities in the two countries in the fish sector and the accompanying digital trade seminar for seafood between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries Wealth & Water Resources (MAFWR) in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in the Sultanate and with the attendance of Fish processing companies in both countries.”
His Excellency Eng. Yaqoub bin Khalfan bin Khamis Al Busaidi, Under-Secretary at the MAFWR, started the workshop with a welcoming speech to Ambassador Federica Favi, the Italian Ambassador accredited to the Sultanate and the Head of the Commercial Office at the Italian Embassy and those in charge of preparing this workshop. The ministry’s plans and programmes for developing the fisheries sector within the export-based economic diversification programme and working on the exploitation and manufacture of natural resources, especially fishery resources, by increasing fish factories with added value, investing in commercial fishing, as well as benefiting from many port services and developing fish exports. His Excellency also touched on the volume of production and the volume of exports of Omani fish exported to the European Union.
In conclusion of his speech, His Excellency affirmed, “The Sultanate welcomes such international bilateral meetings, which aim to encourage investors in the Sultanate and the Republic of Italy to get to know and closely acquainted with the available investment opportunities and how to take advantage of these opportunities and achieve economic income returns for both countries.”
The statement continued that the seafood seminar began its activities before the workshop and will continue until May 21, 2021, and it included holding lectures on the fisheries sector.
A lecture on the fishery industries presented by the National Industrial Federation of the Fisheries Sector in Italy and a lecture on the projects of the fisheries sector in the Sultanate within Oman's vision 2040 was conducted by the MAFWR. Further, a lecture on investment in the fish sector, current projects, and available opportunities presented by the Omani Company for Fisheries Development, in addition to a lecture on the importance of scientific research in developing the cold chain presented by the University of Naples in Italy. A lecture on supply chain management for trade exchange was presented by the consulting company Frieden and Partners in Italy, which is one of the organisers and contributors to the preparation of this seminar.
“These lectures featured many questions and discussions of interest to officials and investors from both sides.” the statement ended.
