NEWS
1,000 participants from 200 + telcos attend Global Carrier Meeting at Muscat
With over 1,000 participants from more than 200 telecom and technology companies across 70 countries , the 11th Global Carrier Community Meeting , ME GCCM brought together key players in international wholesale marking , as one of the biggest global events of its nature in the region . Co-hosted by Omantel and Zain Omantel International , the event took place at
Al Bustan Palace , a Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Muscat .
This year ’ s ME GCCM highlighted the growing importance of Salalah , a key coastal city in the southern area of Oman , as a connectivity hub for the region , driven by Omantel ’ s investments in digital infrastructure and subsea cables as well as attracting foreign direct investment into the technology sector .
A key feature of the event was the newly launched SN1 Carrier-Neutral Data Centre , developed in partnership with Equinix , which strengthens Salalah ’ s role as a digital bridge connecting Asia , Africa , Australia , and Europe . The new centre will significantly reshape traffic flows , reducing latency and improving the resilience of global networks .
Over the past decade , Omantel has invested over US $ 1 billion in international networks and data centres , successfully attracting global hyperscalers to establish their regional hubs in Oman . On the global level , the creation of the joint venture Zain Omantel International marks a significant step forward for the international business , creating a leading force in the wholesale telecom sector , delivering end-to-end connectivity solutions across the Middle East and beyond .
The event also featured masterclasses from Google and Amazon Web Services , which provided insights into submarine cable technology , cloud computing , and AI . Omantel has investments in 20 + submarine cable systems globally , 5 unique submarine cable landing stations in Oman , and outbound connectivity of multiple terrestrial links to neighbouring countries . It is the first and only GCC carrier to land a submarine cable in Europe .
Qatar Development Bank organises trade mission to UAE including Qatari AI and sports technology companies
In a collaborative move to strengthen the joint economic cooperation between Qatar and United Arab Emirates , Qatar Development Bank , QDB is organising a Qatari trade mission to the UAE , bringing together over 25 Qatari companies from various sectors . The mission , sponsored by Tasdeer , the export promotion arm of QDB , aims to explore unique opportunities in UAE market and develop new partnerships between the Qatari and UAE companies .
The Qatari mission includes a number of sectors witnessing increasing demand , such as construction , plastics and paper industries , iron and steel , and food and beverage , in addition to innovative solutions in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and sports technology .
Khalid Abdullah Al-Mana , Vice President of Enterprise Development , stated that : “ This
Khalid Abdullah Al-Mana
mission aims to present Qatari companies as trusted partners in the UAE market , as we look forward to empowering our longstanding economic relations with our counterparts in the United Arab Emirates . Our support for Qatari companies to access new markets enhances opportunities for joint cooperation , which contributes to the development of the local business ecosystem and serves the interests of both the Qatari and UAE economy .”
He pointed out that the UAE market presents an exceptional opportunity for Qatari companies seeking to expand , emphasizing that the mission is part of a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening trade ties between the two countries and deepening partnerships in priority sectors . The programme included site visits and dedicated B2B meetings bringing together Qatari and UAE companies . The event also provides a strategic platform for communication , to discuss the latest market trends and identifying joint business opportunities .
QDB is continuously working on enhancing and supporting small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs , through the provision of financial and non-financial services to develop targeted sectors and enhance skills , with a focus on expanding into local and global markets .
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