26-9-2017
The direct shipping lines linking Hamad Port and the Sohar and Salalah ports in Oman “will be a milestone” in maritime transport and the shipping industry at the regional and international levels, a Qatar Chamber official said.
Speaking at the Qatar-Oman Joint Business Council, which convened on sidelines of the Omani Products Exhibition (Opex 2017) in Doha, Qatar Chamber vice-chairman Mohamed bin Twar al-Kuwari said the maritime links between the two countries that were formed after the economic blockade on Qatar “has had a significant impact on the continuation of Qatar’s normal commercial traffic.”
“In this context, we believe that there is a need to develop the logistics services in the ports, both in Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman, so that they are equipped with all facilities and services that are compatible with the shipping of goods, especially those that have been used for many years to import by land.
“I hope that the concerned authorities in Qatar and Oman will pay attention to this matter and develop the private facilities at the seaports,” said al-Kuwari, who, along with Qatar Chamber officials, met with Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Said bin Saleh al-Kiyumi, and Omani-Qatari Business Council chairman Mahmoud bin Mohamed al-Jarwani.
Al-Kuwari said the joint business council aims to discuss ways to promote trade cooperation between Qatar and Oman and to seek “more available opportunities,” as well as the possibility of establishing joint ventures between the two sides.
“This visit will achieve to meet its objectives in strengthening the bonds of mutual cooperation between the two sides. Undoubtedly, the state of Qatar and Oman have long and strong relations at the level of the two leaderships and peoples.
“The meeting of the Qatar-Oman Joint Business Council comes in light of the circumstances in which Qatar is witnessing an unprecedented siege by three Gulf countries. The blockade has enabled the state of Qatar to continue its economic and commercial momentum to overcome the repercussions of this unjust siege,” al-Kuwari pointed out.
He added: “The Omani-Omani Joint Business Council and all the Omani businessmen and exporters who, for the first time since crisis, have been in contact with their fellow businessmen in Qatar, which is an important role in the continued flow of goods on the Qatari market throughout the siege.
“We have witnessed constant contacts between the two parties in Doha and Muscat, and perhaps our meeting today in the joint business council comes in this context and support for this trend.”
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