Thanks to the domestic and foreign policies adopted by Sultan Qaboos, Oman is an island of stability. Although the Middle East has seen myriad wars or conflicts since 1980, the policy of neutrality Sultan Qaboos has been pursuing since 1970 has managed to preserve the country’s stable environment, with utmost care paid to the principles of not meddling with any other country’s internal affairs or adopting non-diplomatic means.The Sultan Qaboos administration has made it their foreign policy priority to resort to diplomatic means in solving all regional problems, including the Iranian nuclear crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 1970, when Sultan Qaboos took over, Oman was on the verge of being pulled into civil war as a result of the Dhofar rebellion. To deal with the rebellion, Sultan Qaboos introduced policies mainly intended to ensure social peace and declared a general amnesty to this end. After the rebellion was suppressed in 1975 with support from countries in the region, Sultan Qaboos focused on establishing modern political institutions and reinforced social policies and implemented a new move towards development, particularly in the field of health and education services.
Relations between Turkey and Oman have started to improve thanks both to Sultan Qaboos’ personal interest and warmth and Turkey’s Middle Eastern initiative during the last five years. However, despite warm historical and political relations, the trade volume between Turkey and Oman is considerably low. Exports from Turkey to Oman account for most of the trade between the two countries. In 2009, the trade volume between the two countries was around $122 million.
In 2000, Turkish engineering companies made their first forays into Oman within the framework of Oman’s Five-Year Development Plan, and they undertook 24 projects amounting to $2.3 billion between 2000 and 2010. Turkish companies mainly deal with infrastructure projects such as urban infrastructure, drinking water and pipeline projects as well as construction, irrigation and transportation projects. The Sohar Industrial Port construction project, undertaken by the STFA-Atilla Doğan joint venture in 2000, is the first major project Turkish firms undertook in this country. Turkish companies conducting activities in Oman include ALKE, ERKO, Enka, Tekfen, TAV, Polat, Fernas, Makyol, MPE, Ünal and Aytek.
The fact that Oman is located at the intersection of the Arabian Peninsula, Africa and Asia makes it an important base. Salalah is the world’s sixth-largest port and a major trade hub as a free zone. Oman imports 80 percent of its consumer goods and is therefore a major market for Turkish exporters. However, due to the lack of direct contact via marine routes to Oman, Turkish companies are disadvantaged by the extra costs caused by highway transportation, which turns into a lengthy process in which invitations needed to acquire a visa are required, creating frequent delays in deliveries and resulting in financial loss.
The Turkish-Omani Business Forum, jointly organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Council (DEİK), the Turkish-Omani Business Council and the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) in connection with President Gül’s visit, will hopefully breathe life into the economic relations between the two countries.
