BRUNEI-MUARA

VIEWS were exchanged on international affairs, both regional and further abroad, and ways to further strengthen bilateral relations were discussed yesterday during the 11th Bilateral Consultative Meeting between Brunei and Oman.

Representing Brunei at the meeting was Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, and leading the Omani delegation was Oman's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Secretary General Sayyid Badr Hamad Hamood Al Busaidi.

Brunei and Oman established diplomatic relations in March 1984, and has since expanded cooperation into several key areas of mutual interest, including energy, economics and investment, education, defence, culture and health.

Keeping a busy itinerary while in Brunei, Secretary General Sayyid Badr yesterday also attended a briefing by the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) at the iCentre, aimed at providing an overview of economic development activities taking place in Brunei.

Oman's Ministry of National Economy, as part of the Oman's Vision 2020 national development plan, is actively pursuing a policy that focuses on diversification, industrialisation and privatisation with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to nine per cent by the year 2020.

Secretary General Sayyid Badr and his delegation were welcomed to the iCentre by BEDB's Acting Chairman Dato Paduka Timothy Ong. Concurrently, the briefing was delivered by BEDB CEO Vincent Cheong.

Dato Ong highlighted the opportunities that both countries could potentially and jointly develop, particularly in energy and energy-related projects including refinery, petrochemicals and aluminium smelting.

"We are looking forward to cooperation and participation from Omani investors in our effort to create a more sustainable economy for Brunei, particularly in energy and energy-related sectors," he said.

The Omani delegation is scheduled to leave Brunei today.

The Brunei Times