Newsletter No. 997
News-Analysis
April 28, 2008

 

OMANI MINISTER TALKS BUSINESS ON LATEST TOKYO TOUR

Ahmad bin Abd al-Nabi Makki, the Omani Minister of the National Economy and Deputy Chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, has made another East Asian tour. As he did last year in May, he has once again traveled through Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan (see Shingetsu Newsletter No. 623).

In his meeting with Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on the 25th, Makki reportedly discussed the tightening of cultural and energy links, as well as JBIC financing support for a harbor project. This latter item is probably a reference to the September 2007 loan for a modern port and drydocks at Duqm (see Shingetsu Newsletter No. 794).

When Makki met with Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga he pressed for negotiations for a bilateral tax treaty between Japan and Oman. This is felt necessary both to boost mutual investment as well as to facilitate partnerships between Japanese and Omani private companies.

On the 26th, Makki met separately with executives of Mitsui, Mitsubishi, and Itochu. He called upon these business leaders to expand their investment base in the Sultanate, particularly in the fields of transportation, petrochemicals, oil, and gas. He promised that the Omani government would offer as much support as it could for these kinds of investments.