North Batinah, China’s Yunnan Province explore partnership

Mohammed bin Suleiman al Kindi, Governor of North Al Batinah, and Saeed bin Ali Al Abri, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Oman in North Al Batinah Governorate, and a number of officials in the governorate welcomed on Tuesday morning at the Crowne Plaza Sohar Hotel, Wong Yu Bo, head of the delegation of the Chinese Yunnan Province. The two sides exchanged the bright and positive aspects that the visit could achieve.

The delegation was briefed on the facilities, factories and companies operating in the port and free zone. The port administration provided a detailed explanation of the work of the administration and the direct, indirect and logistical services it provides to all companies and factories. The delegation also was exposed to the investment opportunities available in the port, free zone and Sohar Industrial Zone (Madayn) and the facilities offered to investors.

After that, a seminar to strengthen partnership and investment between North Al Batinah Governorate and Yunnan Province of China) began, organised by the Office of the Governor of North Al Batinah and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in North Al Batinah Governorate. A number of business owners and those interested in the investment aspects of the governorate participated in the Seminar.

The seminar included a presentation, presented by His Excellency Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al Kindi, Governor of North Al Batinah, in which he introduced the Governorate of North Al Batinah in terms of area, population, and the industrial, agricultural and commercial activities that the governorate is famous for.

Then, he talked about the comparative advantage of the governorate in terms of geographical location and weight. Population, logistical readiness and existing resources such as agricultural, fisheries, animal and natural resources such as minerals and others, in addition to the province’s richness in heritage, cultural and historical aspects, the interaction of civil institutions and other features that characterize the province.

Al Kindi discussed the economic activity in the governorate, where he mentioned the economic and commercial activity provided by Sohar Port, Free Zone and Sohar Industrial Zone (Madayn) and the important and vital commercial roles provided by small and medium commercial enterprises. He mentioned that the volume of investments in Sohar Port and Free Zone reaches more than $27 billion, mentioning the logistical readiness of the governorate to be at the forefront of the governorates in attracting investments, as Sohar Airport, Sohar ports, Al Suwaiq, and Shinas, and the presence of well-developed road networks at high levels, such as the Al Batinah Expressway, the public road, and the Al Batinah Coastal Road, in addition to the railway linking the Wilayat of Sohar with the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, which connects the state with the (Madayn) industrial zone.

After that, Al Kindi spoke about the existing development projects in the governorate and the opportunities for economic growth, where he indicated that the port of Sohar receives about 3,000 ships annually, with a total of 85 million tonnes, and connects with more than 55 ports around And that the Sohar Industrial City (Madayn) has more than (354) projects.