| Danial Norjidi |
THE 2nd Brunei-Oman Joint Energy and Industry Seminar was jointly organised by the Energy and Industry Department at the Prime Minister’s Office (EIDPMO) of Brunei Darussalam and the Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Sultanate of Oman from December 4-6, 2016 in Muscat, Oman.
According to a press release from the EIDPMO, the seminar was officially opened by Dr Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhi, the Minister of Oil and Gas, Oman. In his opening address, he expressed his appreciation to see the continued success of the relationship between Brunei and the Sultanate of Oman and he hoped to see more cooperation between the two countries in the future.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office, Brunei Darussalam, Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar in his remarks reiterated his appreciation to Oman’s Ministry of Oil and Gas for the successful hosting of the seminar.
The seminar was also held back-to-back with the 17th Bilateral Consultative Meeting between Brunei Darussalam and the Sultanate of Oman, which was co-chaired by Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II, and Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Al-Busaidi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman.
During the meeting, they discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation in a number of areas, including trade, energy, defence, education and religious affairs. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues.
The press release said the first Brunei-Oman Joint Seminar was hosted by Brunei Darussalam in 2014. The biennial seminar was established as a platform to share best practices and exchanges on strategically prospering beyond oil and gas. This first seminar allowed relationships and networks to be established between the Brunei Darussalam and Oman energy business community.
These networks were able to be built upon during the 2nd Brunei-Oman Joint Energy and Industry Seminar that welcomed the inclusion of the non-oil and gas sector into its programme, reflecting the ever strengthening and expanding partnership between Brunei Darussalam and the Sultanate of Oman. Encompassing both energy and industry into the seminar’s discussions mirrors the important agenda of economic diversification that the two Sultanates are looking towards in the current global economic climate of volatile oil prices.
Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II; and Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar, Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office during the opening ceremony. – PHOTOS: EDIPMO
The trade delegation at the Gulf Mushroom Products Company.
Local company Golden Aswad Aroma Enterprise at the event.
Two of the participating local companies, Maanggaris and Mumtaz Collections, at the event.
The 2nd Brunei-Oman Joint Energy and Industry Seminar with the theme “Strengthening Industrial Cooperation for Economic Growth and Development” featured presentations from both Brunei and the Sultanate of Oman by relevant agencies, on Economic Resilience in the face of Falling Oil Prices; SME Development; Renewable Energy Capabilities; Ease of Doing Business among others.
In conjunction with the joint seminar, a trade delegation comprising of 25 companies was led by Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng and Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin. The trade delegation represented various sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, ICT, Muslimah fashion, business services and oil and gas.
On the last day of the seminar, a workshop was held between the private sector representatives of Brunei Darussalam and the Sultanate of Oman. Through the seminar, the trade delegation explored the vast potential that can be tapped from the various sectors of Oman’s valuable market, and the opportunity to regard Oman as a trading hub to enter other markets in the region.
In his closing remarks, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Al-Busaidi acknowledged the depth of relationship between the two countries.
Meanwhile, delivering his closing remarks, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, on behalf of Brunei Darussalam, highlighted the ever growing opportunity to work together in overcoming the challenges faced by the two Sultanates, especially in the current economic climate.
Site visits to industries of different sectors were also conducted as part of the trade mission, which included visits to the Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (ORPIC) and Majis Industrial services at Sohar Port and Freezone.
The press release said the aim of the visits was to gain a thorough understanding of the set-up of the different industries, such as the integrated Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, which will be similar to the proposed 175,000 bbl/d Hengyi Refinery and Petrochemical at Pulau Muara Besar in Brunei that is in the construction phase.
The visit provided an insight on how the Sultanate of Oman created In-Country Value (ICV) and local employment opportunities from the project. Several areas of cooperation have been identified, such as capacity building and high value products creation such as production of polypropelene. The trade delegation also visited the Gulf Mushroom Products Company.
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