Geneva:The Sultanate of Oman has been awarded the Excellence Award for Investment-Ready Projects, Partnerships, and Investment Facilitation 2026. This accolade is part of the Investment Excellence Awards granted by the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank Group. The award was presented during the 30th World Investment Conference, currently underway in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to Oman News Agency, this award represents international recognition of Oman's efforts to enhance its investment promotion system. It acknowledges the country's success in improving institutional performance and fostering integration between government entities and the private sector. The recognition highlights Oman's capability to attract quality investments and transform them into projects that add significant value to the national economy.
The award category honors investment promotion agencies that excel in creating investment-ready projects, building effective partnerships, and coordinating efforts among relevant entities. It also emphasizes the importance of targeting investors and facilitating investment to support economic growth and sustainable development. This achievement reflects the progress made by Oman in adopting an integrated approach to developing and preparing promising investment opportunities.
Ibtisam Ahmed Al Farouji, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Investment Promotion, emphasized the importance of the win in illustrating the advancements made in Oman's investment promotion system. She noted the shift from traditional methods to an integrated institutional approach, focusing on identifying potential investment opportunities and enhancing their readiness for investors.
The award underscores the successful model adopted by Oman's investment promotion sector, particularly through 'Invest Oman.' This model integrates government entities and institutions to develop investment opportunities, identify promising sectors, and frame opportunities with clear competitive advantages. The 'Invest Oman' platform currently showcases 62 investment opportunities across various economic sectors, including manufacturing, food security, and tourism.
Oman's participation in the conference also included high-level sessions and dialogues addressing future global investment trends, strengthening international partnerships, and developing policies to attract quality investments. Eng. Ahmed Hassan Al Dheeb, Deputy Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, participated in discussions on balancing competitiveness and sustainability in economic development.
The Sultanate's involvement in the conference further highlighted the strategic importance of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm and opportunities for trade cooperation with international companies. Oman's commitment to developing a supportive investment environment is in line with Oman Vision 2040, enhancing its competitiveness as an attractive destination for sustainable investments.