Oman Brunei Joint Committee meets
The Omani Brunei Joint Committee held its fourth meeting in Muscat to discuss enhancing cooperation in the economic, investment and cultural fields between the two friendly countries.
The Sultanate of Oman was represented by Dr Saleh Said Masan, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Trade and Industry. Brunei Darussalam was represented by Dr Hajah May Fa’ezah binti Haji Ahmad Arifin, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economy. Several officials from Oman and Brunei also attended the meeting.
The meeting discussed trade and investment relations between the two countries, along with ways to develop them in sectors of mutual interest. Topics included exchanging expertise on best practice in curriculum development, schoolbook production, and career guidance programmes in both countries.
The discussions also covered strengthening cooperation in student advisory programmes, health awareness initiatives, labour market trends and future workforce needs, as well as collaboration in the collection, preservation, and restoration of manuscripts.
The discussions also covered the organisation of regular dialogue sessions that would feature prominent writers and thinkers from both countries. There was also a focus on promoting mutual participation in cultural, sports, and youth festivals, events, and exhibitions. Plans were made to arrange training camps for sports teams in tourist cities, manage activities and programs, develop investment strategies, and strengthen cooperation and exchange of expertise in employment, human resources, and training.
The meeting also agreed to enhance the exchange of scholarships for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. It committed to facilitating the exchange of students and academics between higher education institutions in Oman and Brunei. The meeting agreed to streamline the process for submitting applications for the recognition of Omani higher education institutions with the relevant authorities in Brunei.
The meeting emphasised the importance of cooperation in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, through organising direct programmes between Omani higher education institutions and their counterparts in Brunei, leveraging Brunei Vision 2035 to promote lifelong learning and private education.
Oman expressed interest in learning from Brunei's experience in improving its Human Development Index ranking, investment in tourism projects and the exchange of products between the two friendly countries. There was also a desire to enhance cooperation by exchanging expertise in training and qualifying personnel for managing tourism sites and community empowerment initiatives.
Discussions also concentrated on identifying best practice in sustainable tourism development and promotion to support the establishment of unique, high-quality tourism projects and products that will serve the shared interests of both nations.
Dr Saleh Said Masan highlighted the strong economic and trade relations between the two countries. He noted that the Joint Committee serves as a successful model of fruitful cooperation based on shared values and mutual respect.
In his speech, Dr Saleh Said Masan expressed optimism about the future of cooperation between the two countries. He emphasised the importance of leveraging available economic opportunities and strengthening partnerships in agriculture, fisheries, food production, manufacturing, and tourism. These efforts would help create job opportunities and promote sustainable development in both nations, he added
Dr Masan also praised the role of the Oman Brunei Joint Committee in establishing new trade and investment partnerships. He highlighted how the Committee fosters an attractive environment for businesspeople from both countries to explore investment opportunities and work towards increasing the value of trade between them.
This is an unofficial English version of an Arabic report. To view the official Arabic text, click here.