The inaugural Resilience Conference for Risk and Crisis Management and Business Continuity commenced on June 22, 2026, in Muscat, under the patronage of Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ). The event emphasized the critical need to bolster institutional preparedness and resilience in response to the shifting landscape of global challenges.

Bringing together experts, policymakers, academics, and specialists from Oman and abroad, the conference focused on advancing global practices in managing risk and ensuring business continuity, with a specific spotlight on supply chains as a key element underpinning national economic sustainability and competitiveness.

Nasser bin Khalid al Yaarubi, CEO of Jabreen Scientific Academy, stated that the conference aims to raise awareness about the necessity of developing robust risk management frameworks and enhancing business continuity strategies. He noted that the rapid pace of economic and technological change, combined with geopolitical tensions, requires institutions to adopt proactive risk management approaches to safeguard business operations, preserve supply chains, and maintain service stability.

One of the conference’s headline sessions featured Dr. Moataz Salama, Editor-in-Chief of the Arab Strategic Report at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, who analyzed significant recent geopolitical shifts and their direct repercussions on international trade and supply chains. Dr. Salama underscored that rising regional and global tensions have increased supply chain vulnerabilities to cross-border disruptions. He stressed the importance of governments and institutions implementing flexible strategies, diversifying supply sources, and strengthening risk mitigation and continuity plans to preserve market stability and the uninterrupted movement of goods.

Dr. Raed bin Mohammed al Rubaie, CEO of Sohar Freezone and Deputy CEO of Sohar Port, highlighted the strategic role of Omani ports within regional and global trade networks. According to Dr. Al Rubaie, these ports are essential to ensuring the steady flow of goods and services and enhancing supply chain efficiency. He described improving supply chain resilience as a strategic imperative for both institutions and nations, noting ongoing efforts to develop port operations and services that contribute to economic growth and reinforce Oman’s status as a regional and international logistics hub.

He further stressed the significance of the land customs corridor in strengthening regional value chains and supporting food security and manufacturing sectors by facilitating the transport of goods and vital raw materials during times of instability. The corridor plays a crucial role in handling imports such as grains through Sohar Port and Freezone, which are then distributed across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets to reinforce regional food security. On a weekly basis, the port manages roughly 30,000 metric tonnes of general cargo and 60,000 metric tonnes of dry bulk cargo.

Additionally, the corridor supports the aluminium industry by transporting alumina to smelters in the UAE and Bahrain, thus sustaining critical downstream industries. Recent data shared at the conference indicated that shipments to GCC markets reached 123,028 metric tonnes, while total exports totaled 209,991 metric tonnes.

The Resilience Conference emphasized the imperative for institutions to embrace adaptive and forward-looking risk management practices in a volatile global environment to maintain continuity, protect supply chains, and ensure the stability of essential services and operations.