Dr. Ahmad Al Banna: “Omani products already matches and competes with international counterparts”
Dubai – United Arab Emirates, 16th of September 2014: The three-day Omani Products Exhibition held at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center concluded today, with the presence of Dr. Ahmed Al Banna, Director of the Department of Economic Affairs and International Cooperation, UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who toured the exhibition and listened to the exhibitors’ explanations about the latest Omani products set for export.
Commenting on his visit to the exhibition, Dr. Ahmed Al Banna said: "From what I saw today during my visit to the Omani Products Exhibition, I firmly believe that the quality of Omani export products matches and competes with the international products that are being imported into several countries of the region, and the UAE specifically.”
Dr. Ahmed Al Banna continued on saying: “No doubt that the Omani Products Exhibition is an important initiative that will develop trade relations between countries in the Gulf region specifically and the world in general. I believe the committee’s decision to choose Dubai as a host for OPEX 2014 was very successful, as the city is witnessing a huge economic boost with EXPO 2020 being held soon in the city of Dubai.”
The series of Omani Products Exhibitions (OPEX) seek to promote products manufactured in Oman, and to highlight the competent capabilities of Omani products to compete internationally. To achieve that target, the organizing committee announced that the next destination of Omani Products Exhibition 2015 will be the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This comes on the heels of the announcement that the Omani government has assigned $400 billion dollars for investment in Saudi Arabia.
Fahmy Al Hinai, member of OPEX 2014 organizing committee, said: "The annual Omani Products Exhibitions have gone from strength to strength in terms of its vigorous exhibitors and visitor appeal. Since its inception in 2012, where we held the first OPEX in Riyadh, KSA, and followed it a year after in Doha, Qatar, and with the third edition in Dubai, we are satisfied with the feedback we receive from our participating exhibitors and visitors. After all that positive feedback, we plan to increase our activities on all fronts. Therefore, there will be coming editions of the exhibition in new locations in Africa and Europe, in the coming years."
Commenting about the conclusion of OPEX 2014, Ayman al-Hassani, deputy chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the exhibition said that OPEX provides many opportunities for Omani companies from all walks of trade to boost their exports, and to help them to enter many neighboring markets in Africa, Asia, and the EU countries.
On the other hand, Salma Al Hajri, Co-founder and CEO of Salma’s Chocolates, a Muscat-based gourmet chocolatier exhibiting at OPEX 2014, said: “We’re really excited about our participation at OPEX in Dubai and the great opportunity it offers to our business. We’ve launched Salma’s Chocolates in response to changes in the tastes of the domestic confectionary market and demands from tourists for an authentic Omani souvenir. Oman’s increasingly sophisticated consumers are demanding more high-end products. In fact, the Oman-based consumer is looking for local, highly tailored and increasingly diverse products. In short, they’re looking for something special and we’re responding to that trend.”
Co-founder and Salma’s Chocolates COO, Aisha Al Hajri, added: “We produce handmade chocolates in small batches using only the finest local ingredients. Indeed, this is the type of high-quality artisan product that appeals to Omani chocolate-lovers. We’re hoping our fine products will excite consumers in the Emirates too.”
OPEX 2014 was organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates, Public Authority for Investment Promotion, and Export Development. OPEX 2014 was held under the main sponsorship of Al Nasr Group, and Gold sponsorship from Al Mudhish-Oman Foodstuff factory, Areej Vegetable & Oil Derivatives, and Export Credit Guarantee Agency of Oman with INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions as the event organiser in Dubai.
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