Sultan Qaboos, UAE deputy premier discuss joint committee's role in activating bilateral cooperation

Oman-Yemen free trade zone to be in effect during next 3 months

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman received at the Sih al-Barakat Sheikh Himdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Premier of the United Arab Emirates and the head of the UAE side in the Omani-UAE joint committee, and members of the committee on the UAE side.

His Majesty the Sultan was briefed during the meeting on the course of work in the joint committee and its role in activating cooperation between the two countries.

Meetings of the 15th session of the Omani-UAE joint committee had started in the wilayat of Ninzwa, 174 kilometers from the Omani capital Muscat, under the co-chairmanship of Ali bin Hammoud al-Busaidi, the minister in charge of the Omani Sultanate cabinet, and Sheikh Himdan bin Zayed.

During the session of talks, the two sides discussed means to enhance bilateral relations as well as a number of issues of mutual interest in the economic and investment fields as well as customs and trade cooperation and protection of the wildlife.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Undersecretary of Planning & International Cooperation Hisham Sharaf Abdullah said there were efforts exerted to resume the arrangements pertaining to the activation of a free trade zone between Yemen and the Sultanate of Oman during the next three months.

"The free trade zone in the border area of al-Mazyouna is almost finished. The Yemeni side would resume completing the procedures pertaining to the activation of this zone to the economic benefit of both sides," said Abdullah.

He pointed out that the access of businessmen and entrepreneurs in both countries would contribute to effectuating all aspects of trade exchange between Yemen and the Sultanate of Oman.

Abdullah referred to current preparations to hold a joint event with the Omani side to promote investment opportunities in both countries, adding the event, to be held in Yemen during the next few months, would be attended by a host of businessmen and investors in the two countries.