Oman-Italy Business Forum
Discusses Means of Enhancing Economic, Investment Cooperation

Muscat, 8 Feb 2026 (ONA) — Oman-Italy Business Forum, organized by Oman Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (OCCI) at its headquarters in Muscat today, discussed means of enhancing
economic and investment cooperation between the Sultanate of Oman and the Italian
Republic, focusing on a number of vital sectors.

Eng. Hussein bin Hassan
Abdulhussein, a member of the Board of Directors of OCCI, emphasized that the
forum reflects the depth of bilateral relations between of Oman and Italy and
embodies the two countries’ shared resolve to elevate economic, trade, and
investment cooperation towards broader and more sustainable horizons, serving
mutual interests.

In his speech, he added that the
volume of trade exchange between the Oman and Italy reached about 440 million
euros in 2025, including Omani exports to Italy worth approximately 80 million
euros and imports from Italy worth approximately 360 million euros. This
reflects the robustness of bilateral trade relations and their promising
prospects for future growth.

He clarified that the number of
visitors arriving from Italy to the Sultanate of Oman in 2025 exceeded 80,000,
reflecting notable growth in tourism and cultural exchange between the two
countries. Italian companies are also actively working in the Omani market
across multiple sectors, including mining, industry, real estate development,
oil and gas, and logistics. This reflects growing confidence in the Omani
market. He noted that the opening of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) office in
the capital, Muscat, has contributed to expanding the presence of Italian
companies in the Sultanate of Oman.

Eng. Hussein affirmed that Oman
Chamber of Commerce and Industry contributes to strengthening trade relations
and investment partnerships between the business communities of the two countries.
This is achieved by supporting bilateral meetings, activating communication
channels, and encouraging joint initiatives that contribute to increasing trade
volume, expanding investments, and deepening cooperation in various fields.

For his part, Pierluigi D’Elia,
Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Sultanate of Oman, stated that
this forum is an important milestone in the trajectory of economic relations
between the two countries and a practical opportunity to deepen existing
partnerships and explore new horizons for cooperation in sectors prioritized by
both sides. Italian companies view the Sultanate of Oman as a stable and
attractive investment environment, thanks to its clear economic vision, modern
legislative framework, and strategic geographical location, which qualifies it
to be a pivotal logistics and industrial hub in the region, the Ambassador
pointed out.

He added in his speech that Italy
possesses leading expertise in fields such as railways, advanced engineering
systems, energy, and infrastructure—sectors witnessing increasing interest in
the Sultanate of Oman within its framework of major national projects. He
expressed his aspiration for Italian expertise to contribute to supporting
Oman’s ambitions towards building a modern and sustainable transport system and
enhancing the efficiency of the industry and energy sectors.

The forum featured a visual presentation
on “Invest Oman.” It showcased the unified enablers and services
aimed at attracting strategic investments through a single window that brings
together more than 22 government and private entities, supported by a
specialized national negotiation team and investor relations managers to
support the investor’s journey.

The presentation also highlighted
the competitive advantages of the Sultanate of Oman, foremost among them its
strategic location providing access to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
markets, encompassing around 59 million consumers, in addition to connectivity
with Asian and African markets reaching 2.6 billion consumers, and direct
connection to East-West trade routes.

It also addressed the stable
economic fundamentals enjoyed by the Sultanate of Oman, with positive credit
ratings from global agencies and a currency among the strongest globally, in
addition to non-oil exports contributing approximately one-third of total
exports.

The Ministry of Transport,
Communications, and Information Technology delivered a visual presentation
outlining the ambitious vision for transport and logistics and opportunities
for international investment partnership. Oman aims to rank among the top 25
countries globally in this sector through an integrated package of projects and
modern infrastructure, supportive legislation, and partnership programs with
the private sector and international investors. The presentation addressed the
foundations of this ambitious vision: an integrated and safe transport network,
effective institutional governance, innovative digital transformation, in
addition to environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality.

The presentation highlighted a
number of high-quality projects, including the first green hydrogen refueling station
in Oman, electric transport projects such as electric buses and electric bike
delivery initiatives, alongside the use of biofuel in maritime locomotive
operations at Sohar Port, and projects for shore-to-ship power supply to reduce
emissions. On the technical innovation side, smart initiatives in the transport
sector were showcased, such as the National Ports Community System, vehicle
monitoring systems, and memoranda of understanding for operating Vertical
Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft and launching a locally assembled drone to
support logistics services in remote areas.

The Ministry of Energy and
Minerals also delivered a visual presentation introducing promising investment
opportunities in the sector. It addressed the investment opportunities offered
in the mining and minerals sector for 2025, leveraging the great geological
diversity of the Sultanate of Oman and the advantages of investing in mining
concession areas.

On the sidelines of the forum,
bilateral meetings were held between business owners from the two countries.
They discussed prospects for cooperation and partnership, reviewed available
investment opportunities in a number of sectors of mutual interest, and
explored ways to build strategic partnerships and exchange expertise,
contributing to deepening economic partnerships and enhancing cooperation
between the two sides.

— Ends/AH