Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt and Oman have moved to deepen their economic partnership following high-level talks in Muscat focused on industrial cooperation, investment opportunities, and maritime connectivity between the two countries.
During his current visit to the Omani capital to participate in the Egyptian-Omani Business Forum, Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Lieutenant General Engineer Kamel El-Wazir, met on Monday, December 22, 2025, with Omani Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion Qais bin Mohammed Al-Yousef. The meeting aimed to explore ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation across a range of economic sectors, with particular emphasis on industry, industrial zones, and maritime links.
The talks were attended by Egypt’s Ambassador to Oman, Yasser Shaaban, representatives of Egyptian companies accompanying the delegation, and senior officials from Egypt’s ministries of industry and transport.
At the outset of the meeting, El-Wazir emphasized the depth of the longstanding fraternal relations between Egypt and Oman, noting that the partnership is built on decades of cooperation across multiple fields. He said Egypt is keen to further enhance bilateral ties, expand joint investments, and study available opportunities in key sectors, in line with the directives of the political leaderships of both countries.
El-Wazir explained that the Egyptian delegation included representatives of Egyptian companies currently operating in Oman, most of which are active in construction and infrastructure. He said Egypt hopes these firms can serve as a gateway for attracting more Egyptian companies from various sectors to the Omani market, transferring expertise gained through years of work on major projects in Egypt, including roads, infrastructure, industrial facilities, industrial zones, and water and wastewater plants.
During the meeting, the Egyptian side showcased the capabilities of Egyptian contracting companies in executing a wide range of projects, as well as ongoing and completed projects implemented by Egyptian firms in Oman. El-Wazir expressed the readiness of Egyptian companies to establish factories in Oman to produce construction materials or to complete manufacturing stages locally, praising the experience of Egyptian industrial developers in establishing and managing high-standard industrial zones.
He also stressed the importance of focusing on integrated industrial projects that leverage the complementary resources and raw materials available in both countries. Such cooperation, he said, could result in finished products bearing the labels “Made in Egypt” or “Made in Oman.” El-Wazir highlighted the potential for joint industries based on Oman’s iron and copper resources, including the production of cables and wires to meet domestic demand in both markets and for export.
Maritime connectivity was another key focus of the discussions. El-Wazir underlined the importance of strengthening sea links between Egypt and Oman by connecting Egypt’s Ain Sokhna Port—operated by six of the world’s largest port operators and serving major global shipping lines—with Oman’s Sohar Port. He proposed attracting an industrial company to establish a logistics zone at both ports, allowing production to begin in one location and be completed in the other, thereby enhancing efficiency and trade flows.
El-Wazir also announced that Egypt would extend a formal invitation to Oman’s Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, as well as the Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, to visit Egypt’s industrial zones, the New Administrative Capital, and the Grand Egyptian Museum, to gain firsthand insight into Egypt’s recent industrial and urban development.
For his part, Omani Minister Qais bin Mohammed Al-Yousef reaffirmed the strong fraternal ties between the two countries and praised Egypt’s recent achievements, particularly the construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum and the New Administrative Capital.
Al-Yousef emphasized the need to establish a joint working group bringing together Oman’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion and Egypt’s ministries of industry and transport. The group would be tasked with identifying opportunities for industrial integration, assessing the feasibility of such projects, and advancing port connectivity. He noted that these efforts could help boost bilateral trade, build on the success of Egyptian companies operating in Oman, and capitalize on the extensive network of trade agreements linking both countries to regional and global markets.
The talks reflected a shared commitment by Egypt and Oman to translate political goodwill into concrete economic partnerships, as both countries seek to strengthen industrial cooperation and expand their roles in regional and international trade.
