Muscat, February 2 (ONA)---The seminar under the theme ‘the role of technical secretariat for anti dumping in serving GCC industry’, organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the technical secretariat for anti dumping at the GCC General Secretariat was opened at Muscat Holiday Inn hotel today by Khalil bin Abdullah al Khunji, Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI). 

          Eng. Ahmed bin Hassan al Dheeb, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for commerce and industry said that the establishment of the Anti Dumping Technical Secretariat aimed at putting a limit to combat dumping, protect the GCC markets and products especially after GCC member states joined the WTO.  

          The Anti Dumping Technical Secretariat has its executive regulation, anti dumping law and preventive measures. The regulation and law have already been enforced by the Anti Dumping Technical Secretariat.

           In a statement to reporters, Eng. Al-Dheeb said that the Anti Dumping Technical Secretariat is currently raising awareness of GCC businessmen on the role of the Anti Dumping Technical Secretariat, its regulation, law and the necessary measures in case their products are threatened or dumped by other imported products from countries other than the GCC countries. A similar seminar will be held in the Sultanate next April, he added.

      Dr. Abdullah bin Ali al Hinai, Director General of Industry delivered a speech at the beginning saying that the WTO agreements allow the respective departments at the GCC to impose penalties on any company trying to illegally do business, such as, dumping or misbalancing trade with other countries.

           On his part, Reehan Mubarak Fayez, Director General of the GCC Anti Dumping Technical Secretariat said that the Secretariat, since its establishment, strived to prepare a strategy that focuses on communications between the GCC industry community and the respective departments in charge of the industrial sector as it believes in the importance of enforcing the standard anti dumping law and the necessary protective measures as it is the appropriate means that ensure protecting the Gulf industries.  

          After the opening speeches four lectures were given on the negative practices in international trade, the role of WTO in combating dumping, anti dumping standard law, preventive compensatory measures at the GCC countries and the role of Technical Secretariat in anti dumping.  

          The lectures highlighted the procedures, terms of accepting complaints against international trade negative practices and measures for investigating the illegal import practices.

           A number of legal experts and officials at the Anti Dumping Technical Secretariat took part in giving lectures.

           The seminar was attended by a number of undersecretaries and officials at OCCI and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in addition to Omani businessmen and industrialists.

-----Ends/MS/

Ministerial Committee Chaired by National Economy Minister - Meeting

          Muscat, February 2 (ONA)--- The ministerial committee formed as per the royal orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to evaluate the damages and repair the infrastructure and other projects that have been damaged by the adverse weather conditions which hit the Sultanate, today held its 8th meeting.

     The meeting was chaired by Ahmed bin Abdul Nabi Macki, National Economy Minister & Deputy Chairman of the Financial Affairs & Energy Resources Council.

           The meeting discussed a number of topics listed on the agenda and took appropriate decisions in their regard, such as, allocating RO 28,253,552 for the repair of the damages of some property, installations, offices, warehouses, transportation means, historical and archeological sties and fishing harbours of some governmental authorities, in addition, to removing the debris resulting from the collapse of mountain parts adjacent to some residential buildings in some locations.

           The amount will also cover the technical supervising services and quantity surveying for the Bahari road in Seeb, the road linking Qurum with Sarooj, the marine wall in Muttrah, Wadi Udai/Amerat road, supporting removal of the debris, spillage of morass water and opening the main and internal roads in a number of wilayats at Muscat governorate.

---Ends/MS/

          Muscat, Feb 2 (ONA)--- Sayyid Said bin Ibrahim al Busaidi, Deputy Governor of Muscat received at his office today Commander of the French Navy in the Indian Ocean and his accompanying delegation as part of the visit by the French flagship “Far” to the Sultanate.  

          During the meeting, cordial conversation was exchanged on issues of mutual concern. Sayyid Said highlighted the existing deep-rooted relations between the two friendly countries and presented an overview on the role played by Muscat governorate in serving society and the tourist attractions in the wilayats of the Governorate.

           On his part, the French guest expressed his admiration of the construction renaissance and modernization witnessed by the Sultanate in general and Muscat governorate in particular.  

          The meeting was attended by the French ambassador to the Sultanate.

---Ends/MS/

          Muscat, February 2 (ONA)--- Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed al Salmi, Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs received at his office today Professor Robert Cablin, a U.S journalist, thinker and writer who is currently vesting the Sultanate.

      Conversation during the meeting dealt with friendly and issues of mutual concern.

           In a statement to reporters, Professor Cablin, who visits the Sultanate for the first time, said that he is preparing a book on the countries overlooking the Indian Ocean including the Sultanate of Oman. He will visit a number of  tourist and archeological sites and museums in the Sultanate, in addition to meeting a number of officials, he added.  

          He wrote more than 14 books on travel and tourism especially on Arab countries in the Middle East.

-----Ends MS/

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      Muscat, February 2 (ONA):- Shiekh Salim bin Hilal al Khalili, Minister of Agriculture announced today the results of the agriculture months for 2007. 

       The Wilayat of A’suwaiq won the first place and got the Cup of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said with financial award. The Minister said in a statement that the wilayat Manah won the second place and obtained the Ministry’s cup with a financial award while the wilayat of Mahadah won the third place. 

     The Minister of Agriculture added that on the livestock field, the wilayat of Bahla won the first place and obtained the Cup of His Majesty the Sultan with a financial award while the wilayat of Taqah won the second place and obtained the Ministry’s Cup with a financial award.  Wilayat of A’Rustaq won the third place and obtained the ministry’s shield.with a financial award.  

      Shiekh Salim bin Hilal al Khalili, congratulated the winning wilayats wishing  and success for all and commended the wali’s efforts, chairman and members of the executive committees, farmers, livestock’s breeders and companies’ owners for what their efforts to achieve the goals of the agriculture months “Towards sustainable agricultural, livestock and fishing development.”   

     On his turn, Eng. Khalfan bin Saleh al Na’ebi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that agriculture months for 2007 witnessed a huge interaction from various Sigments of the society and caused resulted in the existence of projects of economic income for many families in various parts of the Sultanate.

      He also said that Ministry of Agriculture evaluates every year all the projects and the application of new ideas in the agriculture field. 

     The undersecretary mentioned that the fodder agriculture transfer from the Al Batinah region to ”Najd” region is going on and many farms are there already. The studies prove that the area is very suitable for agriculture and for growing various agricultural products even vegetables and fruits.

--- Ends/Kh

     Muscat, February 2 (ONA)--- The Sultanate’s Monetary and Financial prospects remained positive during the Month of December last year supported by the a strong economic growth owing to high oil prices and improvement of non-oil sector's performance. These positive developments reflected on commercial banks operating in the Sultanate.  

     The combined balance sheet of commercial banks as at the end of December 2007 witnessed a growth in all major banking aggregates. Total assets and liabilities increased by 42% to reach RO.10.3 billion at the end of December 2007. Total credit, accounting for 63% of total assets, increased by 38.5% to reach RO. 6513.3 million.

      On the liabilities side, total deposit with commercial banks increased by 38.5% as at the end of December 2007 to reach RO. 6488.4 million. Private sector's total deposit accounting for over 80% of total deposit, increased significantly. Demand deposit, savings deposits and time deposit increased by 72.2%, 39.9% and 19.7% respectively. The Core capital and reserves amounted to RO. 1251.1 million by end of December  2007.

      Money market conditions in the Sultanate continued to be characterized by easy liquidity at the commercial banks and the CBO continued to regularly absorb the surpluses through issuance of certificates of deposits. In some events, the CBO injects short-term liquidity through Repos. The gross investments of the commercial banks at the certificates of deposits issued by the CBO amounted to RO.1083.1 by the end of December  2007. 

     On the monetary front, broad measure of money supply (M2), registered a growth of 37% to reach RO. 6111.4 million as at the end of December 2007. Money supply, as represented by narrow money (M1) and comprising of currency held by the public and Riyal Omani demand deposits registered a growth of 55.9% by the end of December 2007.

      The currency with the public rose by RO. 92.5 million Riyal Omani and demand deposits in Omani Riyal also increased by RO. 594.8 million. The increase in money supply is attributed to the increase of foreign assets of the banking sector by 41.6% and the increase in domestic demand for the private sector by 29%.

      On the average interest rate front on Riyal Omani deposit, increased from 1.85% as at December 2006 to 2.06% at the end of December  2007. The average interest rate on Riyal Omani loans declined form 7.40% at the end of December  2006 to 7.28% at the end of December 2007.

     As a result, the interest rate spread between total lending (RO.+Fcy combined) and total deposits (RO+Fcy combined) declined to 5.22% in December 2007 as against 5.55% in December 2006.  

     As regards CBO policies, interest rate for absorption of surplus liquidity, the weighted average CBO CD rate, which falls due after 28 days, was lowered from 4.63% in December, 2006 to 1.97 in December 2007.  

     The average interest rate on the Repo operations between commercial banking and CBO fell from 6.34% in December 2006 to 6.02% in December 2007. Overnight domestic inter-bank lending rates in Riyal Omani averaged between 1.47% in December 2007, a decrease from 3.39% in December 2006.

---Ends/MS/

Sultanate/ Participation

      Muscat, February 2 (ONA)--- The Sultanate will take part in the sixty-fourth conference of the GCC’s Health Ministers which will be held in Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from February 6^th and 5^th.

      The Sultanate’s delegation will be headed by Dr. Ali bin Mohammed bin Mousa, Health Minister.

      The conference will discuss a number of technical topics, such as, vocational health, diabetes, combating heart and vascular diseases, health care quality, patients’ safety, primary health care, extensive immunization, birds’ flu and epidemic observation.

      The conference will also discuss a number of topics, which organize co-operation between the Council countries in the health fields, such as nursing specializations council, medicine, medical preparations, central medicine registration, medical education and training, in addition to administrative, financial and organizational affairs of the council.

--- Ends/Kh

          Muscat, February 2 (ONA)--- Khalil bin Abdullah al Khunji, Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) today met Dr. Nicola Abu Tarah, Advisor to the government of the State of Hamburg for Cooperation Affairs with the Arab countries who is currently visiting the Sultanate.  

          The meeting dealt with issues related to developing cooperation and partnership between private sector companies in both the Sultanate and Germany, especially in the state of Hamburg including medical care and heal services through enhancing bilateral investments, especially the Sultanate provides a number of incentives and facilities for foreign investments. The Sultanate has also a number of investment opportunities in health and medical domains.  

          The meeting dealt also with benefiting from the German experience in training nationals cadres in the field of private health care and developing the quality of health care provided by these institutions in the Sultanate.

---Ends/MS/

      Shinas, February 2 (ONA)---Easy Education Program Center, which is being implemented by the Manpower Ministry in co-operation with Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) was opened today at the Technical College in the wilayat of Shinas.

      The opening of the center is one of the most important steps that reflects the Manpower Ministry’s attention to lay down all education levels after the general certificate to society’s all individuals. The program also eases teaching methods to keep abreast of the huge progress on the educational means in the world nowadays, especially with the existence of Internet.

     The program aims to provide various courses by the easiest way via the Internet.

--- Ends/KH

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