Oman hosts B2B meetings with Kuwaiti trade delegation

The Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) organized a set of B2B meetings Wednesday for Omani industrialists to connect with a delegation from Kuwait's Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies.

Cooperative consumer societies are government-sponsored department stores that account for nearly three-quarters of the retail business in Kuwait. The delegation came to Oman to shop for products and potential partnerships for bringing more Omani goods into cooperative society stores.

To facilitate these relationships, PEIE held B2B meetings, which are similar to speed-dating events for prospective business partners. Business representatives sit down with one another for a short period of time in hopes of gauging whether or not an opportunity exists that would be worth following up on later.

"We hope the fruits of this event will see agreements signed for the benefit of Omani products and the national economy," PEIE CEO Hilal Al Hasani said. "Everyone knows that we are in a competitive market and the Omani products record a strong presence in this market. These products can cope with the global variables. Besides, the efforts of the Public Authority for Consumer Protection are seen -- and they are monitoring the domestic market significantly."

The gathering was one of several initiatives organized by PEIE to promote Omani products. Among these are the Industrial Innovation Center, a hub for businesses to get assistance on research and development, and the Omani Products Exhibition, an annual international showcase for Omani goods that is scheduled for April in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.