Qatar, Oman seek to boost trade and investment cooperation

The story in brief

Tribune News NetworkDoha Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani on Thursday met with a number of Omani ministers and senior officials during... Tribune News NetworkDoha Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani on Thursday met with a number of Omani ministers and senior officials during his visit to the Sultanate of Oman. Approximately 722 Omani companies operate in the Qatari market, including 533 wholly Omani-owned companies, 176 jointly owned Qatari-Omani companies and 13 companies registered with the Qatar Financial Centre.

Detailed summary

Tribune News NetworkDoha Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani on Thursday met with a number of Omani ministers and senior officials during... Tribune News NetworkDoha Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani on Thursday met with a number of Omani ministers and senior officials during his visit to the Sultanate of Oman. The meetings were attended by senior officials and representatives of leading companies from Qatar.Minister Sheikh Faisal met with Anwar bin Hilal bin Hamdoun Al Jabri, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion; Eng Said bin Hamood bin Said Al Mawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology; Eng Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals; Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones; and Abdulsalam bin Mohammed Al Murshidi, president of Oman Investment Authority.During the meetings, the two sides reviewed the growing cooperation between Qatar and Oman and discussed ways to support and further strengthen it, particularly in the fields of trade, investment and industry, in a manner that serves their mutual interests and advances economic development in both brotherly countries.The meetings addressed a number of topics of mutual interest, including increasing bilateral trade, encouraging mutual investment and strengthening the role of the private sector. The two sides also explored opportunities for cooperation in promising sectors and discussed further steps to enhance cooperation mechanisms, capitalize on the capabilities and opportunities available across various trade and investment fields, and identify new prospects for trade and investment cooperation, reflecting the depth of the fraternal relations between the two countries and their peoples.During the meetings, Sheikh Faisal emphasised the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest. He also stressed the need to maintain coordination and reciprocal visits between the relevant entities in both countries, with a view to building sustainable strategic partnerships, exploring new opportunities for public-private partnerships, increasing bilateral trade, and advancing economic, trade and investment relations in a manner that serves their mutual interests and reflects the depth of the fraternal ties between the two brotherly countries.He added that Qatar and Oman share common goals and ambitions, providing a strong foundation for strengthening bilateral relations and advancing economic integration across various fields.It is worth noting that the volume of trade between Qatar and Oman exceeded $1.1 billion in 2025.

Background & context

This story sits within Qatar's broader reform agenda and efforts to grow the economy as a pillar of non-oil GDP. The region benefits from supportive energy prices, expansionary government budgets, and rising interest from sovereign wealth funds and foreign investors.

Key numbers & facts

He also stressed the need to maintain coordination and reciprocal visits between the relevant entities in both countries, with a view to building sustainable strategic partnerships, exploring new opportunities for public-private partnerships, increasing bilateral trade, and advancing economic, trade and investment relations in a manner that serves their mutual interests and reflects the depth of the fraternal ties between the two brotherly countries.He added that Qatar and Oman share common goals and ambitions, providing a strong foundation for strengthening bilateral relations and advancing economic integration across various fields.It is worth noting that the volume of trade between Qatar and Oman exceeded $1.1 billion in 2025.

Key points

Tribune News NetworkDoha Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani on Thursday met with a number of Omani ministers and senior officials during...
Tribune News NetworkDoha Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani on Thursday met with a number of Omani ministers and senior officials during his visit to the Sultanate of Oman.
Approximately 722 Omani companies operate in the Qatari market, including 533 wholly Omani-owned companies, 176 jointly owned Qatari-Omani companies and 13 companies registered with the Qatar Financial Centre.

Why this matters

This matters because activity in GCC markets shapes capital flows, hiring and investor sentiment across Qatar.

Economic & market impact

Potential ripple effects across GCC equities, banking activity and investor confidence. Watch listed regional names exposed to the story.

GCC angle

For the rest of the GCC, this is a signal on the pace of activity in the sector. Capital flows and regulatory decisions in one Gulf state typically travel across borders given the similar economic structures and the coordination inside the GCC framework.

Risks & uncertainty

There is uncertainty around the read-through: projections can be moved by swings in oil prices, by US monetary policy tightening that most GCC central banks track via dollar pegs, and by regional geopolitical events. Headline numbers may also be revised when subsequent official data is published.

What happens next?

Watch for upcoming disclosures from listed names in the sector, official macro releases for Qatar, and any commentary from regulators or sovereign wealth funds. Tharwa will refresh this briefing as new public information becomes available.

Sources used

Qatar Tribune — Business