An amendment to the International Land Transport Agreement of January 2004 was signed between the governments of the Sultanate and Turkey on Wednesday.

The amendment will facilitate transport of goods between the two countries. Signing this amendment comes on the sidelines of the 10th session of the Omani-Turkish Joint Committee. 

The agreement was signed on behalf of the Sultanate's Government by Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications whilst it was signed on behalf of the Turkish government by Mehmet Simsek, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey.

The amendment of the agreement stipulates that the transfer of goods between the two countries shall not be subject to the quota system and the issuance of permits.

The two sides agreed to promote cooperation in the field of information and communications technology (ICT), postal services, cooperation in railway operations, passenger and cargo transport.

Further, the two sides expressed their readiness to exchange experiences in the fields of roads, tunnels, investment in the ports and free zones of the Sultanate, providing them with consulting services, encouraging the Turkish shipping companies to operate shipping lines through ports of the Sultanate.

Additionally, the two sides seek cooperation in the field of maritime safety, inspection of ships, protection of marine environment from pollution, exchange of experience in the field of ship registration, cooperation in the field of training programs on port and maritime transport, and benefiting from these programs provided by Turkish educational institutions in the field of maritime legislation, as well as cooperation in shipbuilding and repair.

The signing ceremony was attended by Yahya bin Said al-Jabri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Special Economic Zone Authority in Duqm (SEZAD) and the Turkish Ambassador to the Sultanate.

Source: Timesofoman