UN Platform Opens Doors for Omani Suppliers: What This Means for Business Growth and Investment Opportunities in Oman
Muscat: The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), held a workshop yesterday titled “From Local Market to Global Market: Empowering Suppliers in the Sultanate of Oman via the United Nations Platform” at the Chamber’s headquarters in Muscat.
The event brought together Zakaria bin Abdullah al Saadi, CEO of OCCI; Dr. Thaer Yaseen, FAO Representative in Oman; business owners; representatives from government and private sectors; and international experts from FAO. Several Omani companies and suppliers attended to explore opportunities for expanding their footprint in global markets and participating in international procurement systems.
Zakaria al Saadi emphasized that this initiative underscores OCCI’s commitment to empowering the Omani private sector and boosting its engagement in international markets through strategic partnerships with global organisations. He highlighted that collaboration with FAO plays a pivotal role in transferring expertise and enhancing the capacity of local companies to compete globally, aligning with Oman Vision 2040 and OCCI’s goals of improving the business environment and promoting economic diversification.
Dr. Thaer Yaseen described the workshop as a significant milestone in the partnership between FAO and OCCI. He noted that the UN’s procurement system exceeds $25 billion annually, spanning over 220 countries and territories, offering extensive opportunities for suppliers worldwide. However, despite Omani companies’ competitiveness, their participation in UN procurement remains limited, constituting only about 0.06% of the total registered suppliers.
The workshop provided a platform to boost the readiness of Omani suppliers to register and compete effectively in international tenders. Participants were introduced to the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM), the central procurement portal connecting over 30 UN agencies with suppliers globally. The platform hosts more than 490,000 registered vendors from over 190 countries, including 313 from Oman.
UNGM offers access to a transparent, competitive, and sustainable global market where over 95% of vendors are micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and approximately 86% are based in developing countries. Oman, ranked 50th globally on the Human Development Index, is recognized as a highly developed nation contributing to this expanding global supplier network.
The workshop featured technical presentations that guided Omani companies through the process of becoming registered suppliers on the UNGM. FAO experts explained procurement mechanisms such as Request for Quotation (RFQ), Invitation to Bid (ITB), Request for Proposal (RFP), and Request for Expression of Interest (REOI). They also detailed the evaluation criteria used in tender assessments, consisting of a 70% technical and 30% financial scoring system, and emphasized the importance of transparent proposals and sustainable sourcing practices aligned with UN standards.
Saeed Ibrahim, Procurement and Supply Chain Officer at FAO Oman, shared information on FAO’s key initiatives in Oman. These include the camel cheese value-chain project in Dhofar Governorate, which supports women’s entrepreneurship, along with programs aimed at enhancing apiculture, poultry production, vegetable seed systems, and fruit tree nurseries. Additionally, FAO’s efforts in fisheries co-management and World Food Day initiatives were highlighted, addressing global challenges such as climate change and food security.
Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman’s Market
The collaboration between Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the FAO to integrate Omani suppliers into the UN Global Marketplace opens significant opportunities for Omani small and medium enterprises to participate in a $25 billion annual procurement market. This strategic move aligns with Oman Vision 2040, promoting economic diversification and global competitiveness. Smart investors and entrepreneurs should focus on capacity building, sustainable sourcing, and mastering UN procurement processes to capitalize on this underutilized international market.
