First Edition of Advantage Oman Forum Kicks Off
Muscat, 27 Apr (ONA) —— HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said,
Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, graced the opening of the first
international investment forum “Advantage Oman,” organized by the Ministry of
Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion.
The two-day event, held at the St. Regis Al Mouj Resort in
Muscat, brings together over 250 prominent figures, including senior officials,
decision-makers, and regional and international investors, highlighting Oman’s
position as a promising investment destination.
In his opening speech, Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of
Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, emphasized that this forum marks
a first-of-its-kind strategic event for Oman, attracting top decision-makers,
business leaders, and investors across key sectors. The forum comes as Oman
experiences significant growth in economic and investment fields, supported by
rising international indicators.
He noted that the forum coincides with a period of increasing
momentum in Oman’s economic and investment sectors. Foreign direct investment
(FDI) inflows grew by 16.2% in Q3 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Additionally, Oman’s credit rating was upgraded to *BBB-* with a stable outlook
by Standard & Poor’s.
The Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion
stated that Oman’s GDP is expected to grow by 3.4% this year, outperforming
many global economies—a testament to the resilience of the national economy and
international market confidence.
The first day of the forum featured five key sessions addressing
major global economic trends. The first session explored future outlooks and
transformative shifts, focusing on the impact of advanced technologies like
artificial intelligence, climate tech, and hyper connectivity on the global
economy, while stressing innovation and sustainability as pillars of
competitiveness.
The second session, “The Risk-Reward Equation in a Changing
World,” highlighted the importance of calculated risks in institutional
success, emphasizing risk culture, psychological safety, and examples of bold
decision-making during times of change.
The third session, “Business Decisions – Environmental
Challenges and Corporate Responsibility,” discussed corporate
accountability for climate change and biodiversity loss, proposing solutions
like the circular economy and green technologies, with a focus on
public-private collaboration for environmental preservation.
The fourth session examined “Creative Leadership in a Rapidly
Changing World,” showcasing how leaders can adopt bold, non-traditional
approaches—illustrated by real-world examples of organizations reinventing
themselves through creativity.
HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said toured the forum’s
accompanying exhibition, featuring participants from government entities and
private sector institutions.
The fifth session underscored “The Power of Storytelling in
Building Brand Trust and Loyalty,” exploring how organizations can
transform data and values into compelling narratives that resonate with audiences.
The second day will include panel discussions with
decision-makers, investor networking opportunities, success story
presentations, new investment partnership signings, and specialized roundtables
in priority sectors such as tourism, logistics, mining, food security,
renewable energy, and information technology.
—— Ends/AH
