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The Oman Observer reported that Oman used the GCC-UK investment dialogue in London to promote its capital market along with opportunities in industrial zones and key economic sectors. Representatives of Invest Oman, the Muscat Stock Exchange and the Special Economic Zone at Duqm joined the event organised by The Business Year under the auspices of the GCC General Secretariat. Ahmed bin Akaak, Chief Executive Officer of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, said the zone was seeking British industrial and technological expertise to support its development in advanced manufacturing, logistics and clean energy.
Duqm’s location on the Arabian Sea, infrastructure and existing major projects provided a platform for further investment, bin Akaak added according to the report. The zone was focused on increasing the benefits of investments already made while attracting complementary projects that could expand domestic industrial capacity, transfer knowledge and develop value chains. He added that the United Kingdom was a key economic partner for Oman with scope for longer-term cooperation in industry, energy, technology and logistics.
The value of such dialogues lay in converting shared economic interests into practical partnerships and investment projects that contributed to the national economy, bin Akaak stated. Nasser bin Khalifa al Kindi, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Oman, outlined opportunities in manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy, technology, tourism and food security. He said Oman’s investment advantages included its geographical location, infrastructure, ports, economic and free zones, and industrial estates.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion was working to improve the investment environment by simplifying procedures, expanding digital services and strengthening the efficiency of the legislative and regulatory framework, al Kindi said. Committed cumulative investment in the Duqm zone rose 141 percent since 2021 to 8.81 billion Omani rials by the end of June. In June the zone secured agreements worth $7.5 billion for projects ranging from green hydrogen to battery materials and power generation according to the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones.
UK foreign direct investment stock in Oman grew from 10.428 billion Omani rials in 2022 to 16.766 billion rials by the second quarter of 2026, Al Roya newspaper reported. Bilateral trade between the countries expanded 73.5 percent in 2025 before reaching 387.9 million rials in the first seven months of 2026. The London gathering builds on earlier pacts including the 2019 Comprehensive Agreement on Enduring Friendship and the 2022 Sovereign Investment Partnership.
The Muscat Stock Exchange participated to spotlight capital market opportunities for British investors, the Times of Oman reported. Officials from the Omani delegation emphasised practical outcomes from the dialogue in the form of new collaborations across priority sectors. The event underscored sustained interest in leveraging UK expertise to support Oman’s ongoing economic diversification initiatives.
