Oman
Participates in Meetings of GCC Commerce, Industry Undersecretaries

Muscat,
22 Sep 2026 (ONA) — The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of
Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, participated today in the meetings
of the GCC Undersecretaries of Commerce and Undersecretaries of Industry, which
were held via videoconferencing.

The
meetings were chaired by Eng. Ghalib Said Al Maamari, Undersecretary of the Ministry
of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Commerce and Industry.

These
meetings took place in preparation for the meetings of the Commercial
Cooperation Committee and the Industrial Cooperation Committee at the
ministerial level, scheduled to be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The
meetings discussed a number of topics of common interest aimed at enhancing the
process of economic, commercial, and industrial integration among GCC
countries, developing frameworks and policies supporting the smooth flow of
intra-GCC trade, developing industrial sectors, and boosting the
competitiveness of Gulf products, thereby contributing to supporting the Gulf
Common Market and enhancing the role of the private sector in economic
development.

The
64th preparatory meeting of the Undersecretaries of Commerce reviewed a number
of files linked to enhancing Gulf commercial integration and updates on
negotiations for free trade agreements between the GCC and international
countries and blocs, alongside following up on the implementation of decisions
related to joint commercial action, and discussing a number of topics related
to consumer protection, competition, e-commerce, small and medium enterprises
(SMEs), and entrepreneurship.

Furthermore,
the 49th meeting of the Undersecretaries of Industry discussed a set of files
supporting Gulf industrial integration, including the definition of the Gulf
national product, the executive plan for lists of goods subject to collective
protection, and controls related to exempting industrial inputs from customs
duties, alongside following up on the implementation of the Unified Industrial
Development Strategy, updates on the Gulf Industrial Platform, and the project
for the Gulf Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Digital
Transformation in Gulf Factories.

The
meetings also touched upon studying the establishment of zones for Gulf
strategic storage of food, medicine, and other necessities, thereby enhancing
integration among GCC countries in strategic sectors and raising the level of
readiness to deal with economic changes and challenges.

—Ends/AG