PEIE delegation visits Kuwait to boost trade ties
PEIE’s trade team is exploring mutual cooperation and will discuss mechanisms to deliver Omani products to cooperative societies based in Kuwait.
Times News Service
MUSCAT: A delegation representing the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) visited the Kuwait Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies on Tuesday to observe cooperative societies at a regional level, explore potential mutual cooperation, and discuss mechanisms of delivering Omani products to Kuwait’s consumer cooperative societies.
The officials were received by Ali bin Hashem Al Kandari, Chairman of the Kuwait Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies, who briefed PEIE delegates on the union and its objectives.
Al Kandari stated that the legal basis for consumer cooperatives was established in 1962 with the issuance of law no. 20.
“The first official consumer cooperative society was established in 1962 in Kaifan, followed by the establishment of other consumer cooperative societies. Today, there are more than 40 cooperative societies in Kuwait,” Al Kandari said.
“The Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies was established in 1971, aimed at carrying out studies and research in related fields, providing advice and technical expertise to its member societies, exploring possible ways and means to solve problems that may exist in any member societies at the request of the concerned society, resolving any disputes that may arise between the member societies at the request of the dispute parties and, therefore, the decision of the union is binding, in addition to organising training courses for the societies’ workforce, among other objectives,” he added.
Also, Omar bin Mohamed Muqaibal, director-general of Marketing and Media at PEIE, briefed the union’s officials on the industrial march in the Sultanate, which began with the establishment of Rusayl Industrial Estate in 1983.
“The success story of Rusayl Industrial Estate stimulated the creation of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates in 1993. Today, PEIE owns and manages industrial estates in Rusayl, Raysut, Suhar, Nizwa, Buraimi, Sur, and Sumail, in addition to the Al Mazunah Free Zone and Knowledge Oasis Muscat,” Muqaibal said.
He explained that the vision of PEIE was to enhance the Sultanate’s position as a leading regional centre of manufacturing, ICT, innovation and entrepreneurship excellence, and its mission in attracting industrial investments and providing continued support through regionally and globally competitive strategies, good infrastructure, value adding services, and easy governmental processes.
Hamood Al Balushi, director of Omani Products’ Department at PEIE, emphasised the importance of the visit to become acquainted with the efforts undertaken by the union, as well as introduce Omani products and explore the mechanism of exporting the products to Kuwait’s consumer cooperative societies.
Al Balushi briefed the union’s officials on the Origin Oman Campaign, designed to encourage consumers and organisations to purchase Omani goods and services, promote national pride in the manufacturing industry and highlight the economic significance of choosing and buying locally manufactured products and services.