Muscat -

In conjunction with the visit of the Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq to Doha, Karwa Automotive Company inaugurated in the Omani Special Economic Zone at Duqm the first bus of its production bearing the "Salam" brand and the phrase "Made in the Sultanate of Oman", marking the start of the operations of the joint investment project. Between the Sultanate of Oman and the State of Qatar, which aims in its early stages to manufacture 500 buses annually.

The project is a strategic investment initiative between the State of Qatar, represented by the national transport company, Qatar Transport, and the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Oman Investment Authority.

The two parties are investing about $90 million in the first phase of the project, which has the potential to become an active hub for the bus industry in Duqm in the long term.

The factory was designed to produce buses to include civilian buses and school buses intended to meet the needs of the local and regional market.

The project aims, in its early stages, to manufacture 500 buses annually (Omani press)

World Cup buses

The production in the first phase of the project will focus on the production of buses for the World Cup "Qatar 2022", which embodies Qatar's vision to enhance the contribution of neighboring countries to the success of this global event in a distinctive way. Its factory is strategically located close to the Middle East and North African markets, which ensures reduced shipping times, time and effort, and lowers storage costs.

Duqm Special Economic Zone is located in the center of the Sultanate of Oman, at a distance of 550 kilometers from the capital, Muscat, and is the largest in the Middle East and North Africa, as it extends over an area of ​​two thousand square kilometers.

The Special Economic Zone at Duqm includes several economic, tourist and service development areas, most notably a multi-purpose port, a dry dock for ship repair, a fishing port, a regional airport, and tourist, industrial and logistical areas.

Qatar and Oman invest about $90 million in the first phase of the project (Omani press)

investment prospects

Hisham bin Ahmed Al Shedi, Acting Director General of Economic Diversification Investments at the Oman Investment Authority, explains that the Karwa factory represents one of the important strategic projects between the Sultanate of Oman and Qatar, which are working to open investment horizons in a number of vital and promising sectors, emphasizing the solid relations between them and the common interests that they have. It is receiving great attention from the leaders and peoples of both countries.

Al-Shaidi points out that the Oman Investment Authority is investing in a number of projects with the aim of enhancing the Sultanate’s efforts for economic diversification, and in harmony with the vision of strengthening the logistic sector, which aims to make the Sultanate an industrial center, in addition to building technical knowledge in the automotive sector, and contributing to the development of a group of primary industries that feed this The important sector, and contribute to the revitalization of the work of small and medium enterprises by assigning them projects and tenders related to the factory.

For his part, CEO of Karwa Automotive Company, Ibrahim bin Ali Al Balushi, said that the factory is built on an area of ​​600,000 square meters, and is equipped with the latest technological technologies. Electricity, gas station, administration building and other facilities.

Karwa factory represents one of the important strategic projects between the Sultanate of Oman and the State of Qatar (Omani Press)

Standard Specifications

Al Balushi explains that the first phase of the operational operations focuses on the production of “Salam” school buses, which are advanced and capable of traveling on various roads and withstand the harshest weather conditions, and with Gulf and international standards, as they will be used in the Qatar World Cup 2022, and after the production of these buses is completed. It will be directed to the production of buses for cities, and others for long lines, and the annual production will range between 500 and 700 buses.

He pointed out that the Chinese company "Higer" was chosen to be a strategic partner in the project, as it is one of the fastest growing brands in the world in the field of buses manufacturing with high quality and the best safety standards.

Karwa Automotive inaugurates the first bus from its factory in Duqm (Omani press)

Al Balushi added that Karwa Automotive Company will employ many innovations, practices and production technologies that will be the first of their kind in the Sultanate of Oman, which will contribute to setting a high standard for all future production facilities in the Sultanate. Karwa buses will offer a wide range of safe options, making them the ideal choice. For public transportation, whether it is for transportation inside or outside the city.

He explained that the company, in cooperation with the Oman Investment Authority, is studying several options for the production of buses and electric vehicles.

It is noteworthy that Karwa Automotive Company was established in 2017, a strategic investment initiative between the State of Qatar, with a 70% share, and the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Oman Investment Authority, with a 30% share.

The Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, arrived earlier today, Monday, in Doha on a two-day visit, the first since he took office in early 2020.