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H.E. Omar Said Al Kathiri, the ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman in Madrid, met with Abdellatif Ghedira, the Executive Director of the IOC, on 9 February 2023.
This courtesy visit was an opportunity for the Executive Director to explain tor the mission of the IOC and its contribution to the development of the world olive sector and to show him the headquarters of the Organisation.
Although this country in the far south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula is not a traditional olive-growing area, the plant has once again demonstrated its ability to adapt to areas far from its native environment and to the arid climate of the region.
In the 1990s, olive trees of various varieties purchased from abroad were planted in the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) region in the north-east of the country, where the climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean. Thanks to extraction units provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, the 15 000 olive trees in the country in 2020 produced just over 8 000 t of olive oil. The olive tree is therefore the object of growing interest for the Omani authorities and olive oil is a source of fat that is increasingly appreciated for its properties and health benefits. All the conditions are thus met for olive growing to develop in the Sultanate.
During their meeting, the Ambassador of Oman and the Executive Director discussed possibilities for future collaboration. Mr Ghedira described the process of accession to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives and proposed that the Sultanate participate as an observer in the next session of the Council of Members.
