Sohar [Oman], February 5: Sohar Investment Forum 2026 officially began on Wednesday. It is organised by North Al Batinah Governorate Branch of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI).
The event is held under the auspices of Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (Opaz).
The forum was attended by a number of dignitaries from the public and private sectors and participants from more than 30 countries.
The forum opened with a keynote address delivered by Eng. Said Ali Al Abri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the OCCI Branch in North Al Batinah and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Forum. In his speech, he emphasised that the Governorate of North Al Batinah, and Sohar in particular, represents an advanced national model for building an integrated economic ecosystem based on the integration of the port, the freezone, industrial zones, and advanced infrastructure.
This integration, he noted, has positioned Sohar as an attractive platform for major industrial and logistic investments. He added that this ecosystem has succeeded in attracting companies from around 50 nationalities currently operating in Sohar, reflecting growing international confidence in the investment environment.
He further highlighted that the Port of Sohar enjoys extensive maritime connectivity with more than 500 ports worldwide, in addition to a modern road network and the upcoming rail link project with the United Arab Emirates, which will further strengthen Sohar's position as a regional logistics hub.
He explained that the forum focuses on investment-ready opportunities, presenting around 50 investment opportunities with a total estimated value of approximately OMR300 million across promising sectors. He also stressed that the accompanying exhibition is a key component of the Forum, providing a direct platform for engagement between investors and public and private entities, showcasing initiatives, projects, and available opportunities, and helping translate investment interest into practical, implementable partnerships.
The forum featured a number of keynote speeches. Ibtisam Ahmed Al Farooji, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Investment Promotion, delivered the main keynote address.
She highlighted the importance of enhancing the competitiveness of Oman's investment environment and the government's efforts to develop legislation and incentive frameworks that support in attracting of high-quality investments.
She emphasised the pivotal role undertaken by economic and industrial zones in achieving economic diversification targets. She also noted that the next phase will focus on facilitating investor procedures, accelerating digital transformation in services, and strengthening public-private partnerships, thereby creating sustainable investment opportunities, increasing value added to the national economy, and reinforcing Oman's position as a regionally attractive hub for business and investment.
Khalid Said Al Shuaibi, Head of the National Programme for the Developmentof the Private Sector and Foreign Trade"Nazdaher" delivered a speech in which he outlined the importance of free trade agreements in expanding the horizons of the Omani economy and enhancing its integration into global markets.
He underscored the role of these agreements in facilitating the movement of goods and services, attracting foreign investment, and opening new markets for national products. He stressed that maximising the benefits of these agreements requires enhancing the competitiveness of the private sector and enabling national institutions to integrate into global value chains, thereby supporting diversification objectives and strengthening Oman's position as a reliable trade partner at the regional and international levels.
Saleh Hamad Al Sharqi, Secretary-General of the Federation of GCC Chambers, also delivered a speech emphasising the importance of Gulf economic integration and the role of the private sector in deepening trade and investment partnerships among GCC countries.
He noted that the current phase requires enhanced institutional cooperation and unified efforts to create a more open and competitive business environment. He also mentioned how regional economic forums represent an effective platform for connecting investors, exchanging expertise, and building strategic alliances that support sustainable growth and expand intra-regional trade, thereby strengthening the region's position as an influential economic hub on the global investment map.
Dr. Khaled Mohamed Hanafy, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers, highlighted in his address the importance of strengthening Arab and Gulf economic integration and opening wider horizons for investment and intra-regional trade.
He emphasised that the coming phase requires deeper partnerships among private sector institutions to enhance the competitiveness of regional economies. He also stressed the role of investment forums in building bridges of cooperation, exchanging expertise, and exploring joint opportunities, thereby supporting sustainable development and achieving balanced economic growth that serves the interests of countries across the region.
The forum's activities included the inauguration of an accompanying exhibition, which featured a number of government and private sector institutions which are related to attracting investments into the Sultanate of Oman. Over 21 organisations are participating in the exhibition with an aims to introduce investment opportunities, incentives, and services offered to local and international investors.
The forum also witnessed the signing of a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding across several sectors, totaling five agreements with an overall investment value of approximately RO 12 million.
The first agreement is a memorandum of understanding to enhance investments and downstream industries in the iron and steel sector between Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry - North Al Batinah Branch and Jindal Steel Oman. The MoU aims to promote investment in the steel sector and attract investors to establish value-added industries based on steel products and by-products, with an estimated value of OMR4 million.
The second agreement concerns the establishment of an industrial project under the Ladayn Plastics Industries Programme between OQ Group and Aurum Polymer Solutions to develop an industrial facility in Al Ohi Industrial City in Wilayat Sohar, with an investment value of OMR1.115 million. OQ Group will supply the project with raw materials of up to 8,000 tonnes annually at full capacity.
The third agreement covers the establishment of a food manufacturing plant between Sohar Industrial City and Al Baraka Food & Investment Company, valued at OMR4 million.
The fourth agreement involves the establishment of a metal processing plant between Sohar Industrial City and Al Rahma Metal Industries Company, with an investment value of OMR3 million.
The fifth agreement concerns the establishment of a waste recycling plant between Sohar Industrial City and Clear Earth Recycling, valued at OMR500,000.
The forum also included two panel discussions. The first, titled "The New Sohar - Gateway to Industrial and Technology Investments".
The session focused on the transformations taking place in Sohar as an advanced model for smart industrial cities in the Sultanate of Oman. Speakers discussed the readiness of industrial and logistics infrastructure, the role of economic zones in accelerating the flow of high-quality investments, and the importance of public-private sector integration in creating a regionally competitive business environment.
The discussion also addressed the future of advanced and technology-based industries, related value chains, opportunities for industrial localisation and knowledge transfer, mechanisms for investor support and simplified procedures, the development of digital services, and enhanced connectivity between the port, freezone, and industrial areas to improve supply chain efficiency and reduce operating costs. Participants emphasised that the next phase requires a focus on attracting high value-added investments, developing national talent, and strengthening Sohar's position as a regional industrial and technological hub serving local and international markets.
The second session, titled "Enhancing the Investment Environment: Finance, Logistics and Sustainability Pillars," discussed several themes related to building an integrated investment ecosystem that supports long-term growth.
The dialogue focused on the role of financing in enabling major industrial projects, expanding investment instruments and partnerships between banking institutions and the private sector, and the importance of digital solutions in improving operational efficiency and the business environment.
The discussion also covered the development of logistics infrastructure in Sohar and its role in supporting trade and industry, as well as investment opportunities in renewable energy and clean industries, and the impact of sustainability standards on global investor decision-making. Speakers emphasised that enhancing investment competitiveness requires a balance between smart financing, advanced logistics infrastructure, and adherence to environmental standards, thereby strengthening investor confidence and reinforcing Oman's position as a sustainable investment destination in the long term.
Source: Times of Oman
