Muscat: Oman is working for the progress of all decisions agreed on between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries regarding the GCC Common Market, said a top official from the Sultanate’s ministry of finance.
“The Sultanate continues to implement all decisions that would strengthen Gulf citizenship. While supporting the GCC’s joint march in various fields, Oman also hopes that the GCC member countries will achieve the aspirations of the GCC people,” said Nasser bin Khamis Al Jashmi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance.
“Organising this workshop itself strengthens the deep fraternal relations binding the GCC countries under the wise directives of the GCC leaders to serve the common interests,” he added.
The workshop, the second by the GCC Secretariat General to implement the decision of the 34th Supreme Council Summit in Kuwait in 2013, was organised to address topics and decisions concerning GCC citizens.
“The exponential increase in the number of GCC citizens visiting Oman itself shows how much Oman is committed towards GCC’s plans,” said Al Jashmi.
While comparing 2007 and 2012, an increase of 191 per cent can be seen in the number of GCC nationals entering Oman.
In 2007, if 167,000 GCC nationals entered Oman, in 2012 it was 487,000. “Similarly, the number of licences granted to GCC nationals has increased significantly in the recent years,” he said.
The official further said the Sultanate’s exports to GCC countries grew in 2012 to OMR2,223 million while imports from the GCC countries increased to OMR3,570 million. “The percentage of ownership of property by GCC nationals in the Sultanate in 2012 was approximately 21 per cent of the total cases of acquisitions in the GCC countries with 3,374 cases,” added the official.
“GCC countries were keen to implement economic co-operation soon after the decision was taken to work together with a clear road map toward economic development.
