Sultan Haitham Visits Duqm Economic Zone

Sultan Haitham Reviews Duqm’s Economic Expansion

His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik visited the Special Economic Zone at Duqm on September 23, 2026, where he was briefed on major economic, investment and development projects in the region. The visit focused on Duqm’s expansion and efforts to develop it as an integrated economic and logistics centre.

Duqm Port and Investment Plans

During the visit, the Sultan received a briefing on the Special Economic Zone and Duqm Port, including recent achievements and future plans aimed at creating an attractive investment environment. The plans are intended to support both local and international investment in the region.Sultan Haitham directed officials to continue investing in Duqm’s assets and strengthen its position as an economic and logistics centre. He also highlighted the importance of making better use of the region’s strategic location and its connection to international maritime routes.

Read more : Islamic Coalition and Syria Discuss Counterterrorism Cooperation

Duqm’s Strategic Location

Duqm is located on Oman’s Arabian Sea coast and has access to important international shipping routes. The Special Economic Zone covers about 2,000 square kilometres and is designed to support industrial, logistics, tourism, trade and other investment activities.The zone’s location is one of its major investment advantages because it provides access toward the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean. OPAZ also lists incentives including full foreign ownership, no minimum capital requirement and tax exemptions subject to applicable conditions.

Growing Investment in Duqm

The visit comes as investment activity in Duqm continues to expand. OPAZ reported that committed investment in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm reached more than OMR 6.3 billion in 2024. More recent agreements across Oman’s economic and free zones have also included projects in manufacturing, energy, logistics and other strategic sectors.In April 2026, OPAZ announced investment agreements worth more than OMR 200 million across several economic and free zones. The projects included electric vehicle batteries, specialised steel, cement, pipes and pharmaceutical warehousing, reflecting Oman’s wider push to attract higher-value industries.

Duqm and Oman Vision 2040

During the conclusion of the visit, Sultan Haitham described Duqm as an important contributor to Oman’s national economy and linked its development to the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. He also praised national efforts to build and develop the region.Duqm is increasingly being positioned as part of Oman’s broader economic diversification strategy. Current development plans cover industrial activity, logistics, renewable energy, tourism and other sectors, giving the zone a role beyond traditional port operations.

Oman Strengthens Investment Environment

The Sultan’s visit also comes shortly after Oman issued new executive regulations for its Special Economic Zones and Free Zones Law. The regulations are intended to create a clearer framework for investors and support strategic projects in the country.For international investors, Duqm is therefore becoming an important part of Oman’s effort to attract manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy and other high-value projects. The government’s stated objective is to use these investments to support economic diversification and strengthen Oman’s position as a regional investment and logistics hub.