Friday 29 / November / 2024
Muscat: Trade exchange between the Sultanate of Oman and Türkiye is witnessing continuous growth and reached nearly $2 billion in 2022.
A statement issued by ONA said that the volume of trade between the Sultanate of Oman and Türkiye has been growing since 2017, to reach nearly $2 billion US dollars in 2022, while the total Omani imports from Türkiye amounted to $1.58 billion, the total Omani exports to Türkiye amounted to $465 million.
Muhammet Hekimoğlu, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to the Sultanate of Oman, stressed that the cooperation between the two friendly countries during the past ten years has increased significantly on the basis of common interests in various fields. He expressed Turkish Embassy’s endeavour to support and strengthen relations to meet the aspirations of the two friendly countries and people.
In an interview to Oman News Agency, he indicated that work is underway to establish a Turkish industrial zone in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, which will generate employment, income and products for export to the economies of both countries, and will have a significant impact on the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.
The ambassador stated that the Turkish side attaches importance to investing in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, especially with the stimulating investment environment provided by the Sultanate of Oman by giving priority to the development of non-oil commercial and industrial activities.
He said many Omani ports are distinguished by their strategic locations and with their proximity to the markets of South Asia and East Africa.
He pointed out that joint efforts continue to increase cooperation and exchange of experiences in the fields of electricity, mining, renewable energy and alternative energy sources.
He pointed out that work is also underway to take advantage of trade and investment opportunities between the two friendly countries, which would increase trade and investment, and seek to solve all obstacles that prevent the flow of trade and investment between the two countries.
He invited Turkish businessmen to visit the Sultanate of Oman and participate in the exhibitions held there, and introduce Omani investors to the investment opportunities available in the Republic of Türkiye, noting that there are approximately 35 Turkish companies operating in the Sultanate of Oman in the contracting and engineering sector, as they have implemented projects worth $7 billion, and many of these companies are still working, and are continuing to enter into tenders to implement new projects.
He said that the committee, the Turkish-Omani Business Council and the chambers of commerce and industry in both countries are in touch with businessmen and companies in Türkiye to encourage them to participate in various exhibitions in the Sultanate of Oman, especially in the food and beverage sector.
In the field of tourism, he explained that the number of Omani tourists coming to Türkiye is constantly increasing.
The number of Omani tourists who visited Türkiye in 2022 exceeded 130,000, indicating that a request to cancel the need of visas for both countries has been submitted, and it is expected to be approved before the end of this year.
The ambassador stressed that he is currently seeking to enhance tourism between the two friendly countries by organising events and meetings that would contribute to attracting Turkish tourists to Oman and to learn about the tourism potentials that characterise the Oman governorates and states.
The Ambassador said: “The Omani-Turkish relations are growing and developing closely in many fields, and their roots extend back to the sixteenth century.”
Praising the role of the Omani-Turkish joint committee in strengthening cooperation in the commercial, industrial, cultural and artistic fields, he said during the meeting of the committee held in Ankara 2022, a memorandum of understanding was signed for the establishment of the “Yunus Emre Institute for Teaching Turkish Language” in Muscat.
The ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye expressed his gratitude for the aid sent by the Sultanate of Oman to the areas affected by the earthquake that struck 10 Turkish provinces last February, praising the role played by the National Search and Rescue Team of the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority of the Sultanate of Oman in search and rescue operations and assisting those affected by the earthquake.
