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‘Muscat street’ for Singapore

MUSCAT — The Sultanate and the Republic of Singapore yesterday signed a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding on bilateral cooperation in the fields of education, joint investments and IT spheres.

The signing ceremony was attended by Singapore President S. R. Nathan.

While the first MoU is related to cooperation in the field of education between the two countries, the second to develop a Muscat street in Singapore.

The MoUs were signed on behalf of Oman by Sayyid Badr bin Hamed bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, secretary-general of the Foreign Ministry, and on behalf Singapore by Dr Lee Boon Yang, minister of information, communications and arts, and Zainul Abidin Rasheed, first state minister at the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Sayyid Badr said the Education Ministry will be implementing and following up the implementation of the first MoU which covers exchange of expertise, visits, training programmes, developing curricula and workshops.

The second MoU aims at developing a Muscat street, a historic and antique street in Singapore which dates back to the beginning of 19th century. The street will be developed in a way that reflects the historic ties and friendship between the Sultanate and Singapore. “I hope this project, a new addition to the cultural, and tourism arena, will see the light soon,” he said.

The signing ceremony was attended by Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, minister of commerce and industry; Sheikh Humaid bin Ali Al Ma’ani, the Sultanate’s non-resident ambassador to Singapore, and the official delegation accompanying the president.

The two sides also signed an MoU between the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) and Singapore’s Business Federation on cooperation and activating the private sector’s role in both countries.

The MoU was signed from the Omani side by Khalil bin Abdullah Al Khonji, chairman of the OCCI, and Mohammed Zain Abdullah, chairman of Singapore’s Business Federation.

Al Khonji said the MoU aims at enhancing cooperation between the private sectors in both countries, creating investment opportunities that could augment trade volume and investment opportunities and trade exchanges between the two countries.

An agreement was also signed as to establish the basic structure for the e-government criteria between Oman’s Information Technology Authority (ITA) and Infocom Development Authority of Singapore.

Dr Salim bin Sultan Al Ruzaiki, ITA chairman, signed the agreement on behalf of the Omani side, while it was signed from the Singaporean side by Singapore’s Infocom’s chairman.

Port project

Oman’s W.J. Towel Group and Singapore’s Top Great Engineering signed an MoU on implementation of Duqm Port’s infrastructure.

The two sides also signed partnership agreement for cable manufacturing between Al Lawami International Ltd and Sky Holding of Singapore to establish a joint company for manufacturing of zinc-coated and electric-processed steel cables in the Sultanate.