Oman-Spain bilateral trade volume up by 62%, says envoy
Muscat: Bilateral trade between Oman and Spain has risen by 62 per cent, the European country’s top diplomat in Oman has said.
Speaking at an event to celebrate his country’s National Day, Jose Urtasun, Spain’s Ambassador to the Sultanate, said, “Spain receives the most hydrocarbon exports from Oman of any European nation. In the last five years, we have acquired 37 per cent of Omani hydrocarbons exported to Europe.”
He added, “The coming into force on September 19 of the Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation, signed on the occasion of the Royal visit, will no doubt contribute to encourage bilateral investment and trade.”
The ambassador said Spain values the contribution of the Sultanate of Oman to the peace and security of the region and its commitment to dialogue as a method of solving conflicts, highlighted by Minister Yousuf bin Alawi during his intervention at the 70th United Nations General Assembly.
Urtasun also said he appreciated the hospitality that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said offered to King Juan Carlos I during his visit to Oman in May 2014.
“It was a memorable visit that gathered two old friends and resulted in an extraordinary expansion of our bilateral relations with the signing of the agreement to avoid double taxation, as well as four memorandums on defence, transport, tourism and archives,” Urtasun said.
In discussing Spanish companies involved in the development of the Sultanate, Urtasun noted that highly qualified Spanish companies were operating in Oman in fields such as transport management, infrastructure, high speed trains and public works.
Significant projects
“Companies are not only involved in large tenders related to infrastructures and the oil and gas sectors, but also in projects of great significance for the Sultanate, such as desalination and water treatment plants, the National Museum, long term tourism strategies, public transportation, and implementation of the railway project, to name a few,” he added.
According to Urtasun, the presence of Spanish companies has considerably increased in recent years, as they participate in the process of Omanisation while training Omani staff, or collaborating with Omani public entities in the development of key sectors.
Further, Oman and Spain have close cooperation within the defence sector.
“Participation of high ranking officers of the Sultan’s Armed Forces, for the second consecutive year, in the course for MENA countries organised by the Spanish Higher Centre for National Defence reflects the excellent cooperation among both countries,” Urtasun said.
Spain-Oman Forum
The ‘Investment and Business Cooperation Spain-Oman Forum’, organised by the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade in April, saw participation by more than 120 firms, more than 40 being from Spain and 80 from Oman,who were interested in cooperating in key sectors for the development of the country.
The Minister of Commerce and Industry of Oman, Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, and Secretary of State Garcia-Legaz presided over the opening of the Forum and the signing of a memorandum establishing a fund of an initial 200 million Euros for the internationalisation of Spanish companies interested in the expansion of their activities in Oman, along with other countries of interest in
the Sultanate.
Spain’s Secretary of State Garcia-Legaz plans to visit Muscat in November in a follow up of this agreement, the ambassador added.
In talking about cultural activities, Urtasun said, “The Embassy, together with local institutions, has carried out activities in its annual program, including a classical music piano concert, cinema nights and a workshop and exhibition in the Spanish city of Granada that has just concluded today (Monday), with the participation of four selected Omani painters representing the second generation of artists in the Sultanate.”
Additionally, according to Urtasun, promotion of the Spanish language among Omani students is progressing, though there is room for improvement.
Urtasun added, “An agreement between Omani and Spanish Institutions is pending. Once signed, it would allow the training of Omani professors of Spanish language by qualified personnel coming from Spain, complementing the valuable work which is being carried out by the Friendship Association.”
