Wednesday 29 / October / 2025
Kuwait: The Sultanate of Oman participated in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministers of Commerce and Industry meetings, convened in the State of Kuwait. The high-level gathering assembled the Ministers, ministry undersecretaries, leadership from chambers of commerce and industry federations, and numerous representatives from GCC organisations and economic institutions.
These strategic meetings aimed to strengthen economic and industrial integration among GCC member states, advance entrepreneurial ecosystems, bolster small and medium enterprise (SME) development, and examine mechanisms for harmonising economic and trade policies.
Additional focus areas included facilitating cross-border movement of goods and services and stimulating collaborative Gulf investment initiatives.
The Omani delegation was led by Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, who emphasised the meetings’ significance in advancing collective Gulf economic cooperation.
“These gatherings represent a crucial platform for strengthening our unified Gulf economic agenda and addressing shared opportunities in regional development,” stated Al Yousef.
He elaborated that Gulf industrial and commercial integration serves as a foundational element for driving sustainable economic growth and diversifying national revenue streams.
He further highlighted Oman’s strategic commitment to nurturing small and medium enterprises and empowering entrepreneurs as essential components of the nation’s comprehensive economic diversification framework.
Dr. Saleh bin Said Masan, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Commerce and Industry, identified industrial localisation as a strategic priority for achieving collective industrial security across GCC nations.
“Collaborative Gulf cooperation in industrial development significantly enhances national industry competitiveness while creating expanded opportunities for joint investment ventures,” Dr. Masan explained.
He reaffirmed Oman’s dedication to advancing Gulf cooperation across industrial, trade, and investment sectors, reinforcing the fundamental principle of Gulf economic integration.
This commitment strengthens the GCC’s position as a leading industrial and commercial hub at both regional and international levels.
The agenda featured the Fourth Gulf Entrepreneurship Forum, organized by the National Fund for the Development and Care of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The forum conducted three primary sessions examining challenges and expansion opportunities for small and medium enterprises within Gulf markets, empowerment strategies for entrepreneurs, public relations network development, economic integration mechanisms among GCC states, market access frameworks, and government support systems.
Specialised sessions included business presentation skills for investor engagement and commercial expansion strategies within Gulf markets utilising artificial intelligence for new market penetration.
Concurrent with the forum proceedings, Kuwait’s Public Authority for Industry inaugurated the Third Gulf Industrial Exhibition, featuring a ministerial dialogue session for GCC Industry Undersecretaries titled “Industrial Localisation in GCC States Towards Sustainable Industrial Security.” Dr. Saleh bin Said Masan participated in this session, presenting Oman’s national experience in industrial localisation while detailing Omani initiatives and policies advancing industrial development and supply chain localisation.
The presentation highlighted successful case studies across strategic sectors including manufacturing, food processing, pharmaceuticals, mineral development, and technology innovation.
Ministerial committee meetings launched the Gulf Industrial Platform as a collaborative GCC initiative designed to enhance industrial integration and facilitate data and service exchange among member states.
The ceremonies included recognition of several Gulf companies, including Omani enterprises, through the 2025 Gulf Industrial Excellence Award, acknowledging their contributions to industrial innovation, localisation achievements, technology transfer, and production efficiency enhancements.
The 55th Industrial Cooperation Committee meeting addressed critical Gulf industry topics including industrial localisation programmes and joint manufacturing initiatives.
Discussions focused on supporting industrial innovation, developing national competencies, and monitoring implementation of previous industrial integration decisions.
The committee examined mechanisms for stimulating cross-GCC industrial investment, enhancing inter-organisational cooperation among industrial authorities, and facilitating national product movement among member states to strengthen collective industrial and food security.
The 69th Commercial Cooperation Committee meeting reviewed implementation progress of Gulf commercial cooperation programs, exploring methods to enhance trade exchange among GCC members and strengthen market integration.
Additional discussions addressed goods and services movement facilitation and resolving challenges facing Gulf companies in intra-regional trade.
The tenth Ministerial Committee for Standardisation Affairs meeting established unified Gulf standards for industrial and commercial products while ensuring quality assurance for goods circulating in GCC markets.
The session promoted enhanced consumer-producer confidence and facilitated intra-GCC trade movement among member states.
The committee emphasised elevating GCC standard specifications to align with contemporary international benchmarks, ensuring national industry support and enhancing Gulf export competitiveness in regional and global markets.
The fifth consultative meeting of GCC Ministers of Commerce and Industry with chamber and federation leaders provided a structured platform for public-private sector dialogue. The session facilitated exchange of entrepreneurial and manufacturing expertise while reviewing national and Gulf initiatives supporting small and medium enterprise development.
Discussions explored joint Gulf investment stimulation and regional market expansion, alongside enhanced cooperation among chambers of commerce and industrial bodies to support innovation and develop the GCC business environment.
The meetings were attended by Faisal bin Abdullah Al Rowas, Chairman of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, alongside numerous officials from commerce, industry, and investment sectors.
