Türkiye-Oman business forum OMNEX 2026 to boost interest in Turkish products

By Serhat Tutak

MUSCAT (AA) - The two-day Türkiye-Oman business forum and international trade event OMNEX 2026, held in the Omani capital of Muscat, is expected to increase demand for Turkish products in the region, the Turkish deputy trade minister told Anadolu.

Sezai Ucarmak, speaking on the sidelines of OMNEX 2026, of which Anadolu is the global communications partner, said such forums are important for bringing together Turkish and Omani business communities.

Ucarmak said Türkiye’s exports to the region have grown 60-fold over the past 23 years and fourfold since 2017, adding that while trade with the region has been dominated by imports, exports are expected to rise if certain transportation issues are resolved.

He said Omani visitors at the event showed particular interest in Turkish cuisine at a festival organized as part of the broader forum.

“The high turnout at the fair boosted interest in Turkish products and revealed a serious demand in the region for Turkish products,” he said.

Ucarmak said every product manufactured in Türkiye is promoted globally through such events, adding that the arrival of Omani businesspeople in Türkiye is expected to further strengthen these promotional activities.

“Türkiye’s vision is to have very good relations with neighbors,” he said. “We will open the Alican Customs Gate next month, and of course this will contribute to our exports to other countries and also serve as a convenience for Turkish exporters transiting to Armenia or other countries.”

Yunus Ete, chair of the Türkiye-Oman Business Council at the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), said preparations for the event began in 2025 and that strong participation from Türkiye and other countries is expected to contribute to the $5 billion trade volume target between Türkiye and Oman.

Ete said talks held at the event are expected to yield positive results for business communities in both countries, not only in trade diplomacy but also in cultural diplomacy.

“We saw that Turkish firms have developed franchise opportunities here in Oman, so such activities to support each other will have mutual effect,” he said.

Ete said a joint fund established to promote investments following a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Omani Sultan and Prime Minister Haitham bin Tariq accelerated bilateral trade. He added that Oman has become a key gateway for Türkiye to Africa, the Gulf and the Middle East, while Türkiye has become a hub for Oman to reach Europe, the Balkans and Turkic nations.

“We will enable Omanis to open up to other countries through investments in Türkiye, and with our investments in Oman, we will develop our manufacturing in free zones and gain an edge, while continuing exports to Africa, the Gulf and the Middle East,” he said.

“Oman recently signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India, so this is a production base we can use for exports to India -- Turkish firms have so far made some excellent cooperation deals at the event, starting from defense and extending into the energy sector,” he added.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim in Istanbul