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Oman has potential to emerge as major logistics gateway: Minister [Times of Oman](Times of Oman Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Muscat: Oman, with its excellent infrastructure and wide modern network of highways and ports, has the potential to become a major logistics gateway for the Arabian Peninsula, according to Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications. Speaking at the GCC Supply Chain and Logistics Conference, which kicked off here yesterday under the theme "Oman's strategic role as a GCC gateway and Indian Ocean Rim hub," Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi observed, "Our vision is to make Oman a gateway to the region as part of a modern logistics system that seamlessly connects with all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the rest of the world. Such a system would form one of the major pillars of the Omani economy, substantially contributing to the gross domestic product (GDP) and creating thousands of jobs for the Omani people." Touching on trade flows, he said, "During the past decade, the growth of the economies of the GCC countries has been consistently high, notwithstanding the problems affecting the world economy. As a result, the trade flows into and out of the region have been on the rise, dramatically. Geographically speaking, Oman is ideally positioned to facilitate part of these trade flows. However, an ideal geographical position does not guarantee that these trade flows will go through our country. As a government, we realise that it requires much more than that." He added, "At present, we have one of the most modern highway and road networks in the region directly connecting with the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The network is still expanding, and soon, it will also connect with Saudi Arabia. Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat will soon be converted into the first dedicated tourist and cruise port in the region. Oman is home to three ultra-modern industrial and container ports: Salalah, Duqm, and Sohar." He noted, "The Oman National Railway Project is fast progressing, and so far, 32 firms have expressed an interest in tendering, and we hope to award the tenders by June or July. Besides this, the new Muscat International airport, with its enlarged freight capacity, is progressing well. We hope to have it ready by the end of next year. Salalah airport has been upgraded, and new regional airports in Sohar, Duqm, and Ras Al Had are under construction. Salalah, Duqm, and Sohar are ideally suited to sea–air logistics." The Minister further added, "We have to attract more foreign direct investment in the transport and logistics-related sector and must stimulate the creation of joint ventures between specialised foreign companies and Omani firms."Task force Dr Al Futaisi said, "With all this in mind, I have decided to establish within my Ministry a special 'Logistics Task Force,' which will create a solid bridge between the government and logistics segment of the private sector. It will also identify and provide solutions for the challenges preventing cargo handlers from using Oman as a logistics gateway, identify training requirements, and create job opportunities and, thus, make logistics a thriving sector of the economy. We will also bring in top-notch advisors to support the task force."Oman–Dutch ties Another keynote speaker, Melanie Schultz van Haegen, Minister of Infrastructure and Environment for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, addressed the participants. "Today, as in the past, Oman occupies a prominent place in world trade. It is a country that is moving forward boldly to consolidate its position in the world market. Dutch companies such as Shell have established long-term partnerships with Oman. Our common maritime tradition helps to sustain our ties. For example, the Netherlands offers training courses for Omani sailors. And your country is a major partner of the Port of Rotterdam, which is the largest port outside Asia. Many of the goods destined for the European market pass through Rotterdam along the way. For example, much of this region's oil and gas ends up in Rotterdam's refineries. Today, Rotterdam is the gateway to Europe for oil, steel, and containers full of consumer goods, she added further."Keynote address Others who delivered keynote speeches were Roger Agnelli, founding partner and CEO of AGN Holdings and chairman of B&A Mining, and Robert D. Kaplan, chief geopolitical analyst for Stratfor, author, and journalist. The session was followed by a discussion on "Oman: Logistics gateway from the Indian Ocean into the GCC challenges and prospects." The two-day event was organised by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and supported by Oman Logistics & Supply Chain Association (under formation), Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT), and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Muscat, as well as Al Nimr Expo. Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, secretary-general at the Foreign Ministry, graced the occasion. (c) 2013 Muscat Press and Publishing House SAOC Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |