Asyad – The most comprehensive end-to-end logistics provider in the Middle East, covering ports, free zones, and multimodal transportation, hosted a session at the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Public Forum 2018 — “Trade 2030” being held from October 2 to October 4 in Geneva, with the main theme of “Trade 2030”. The Public Forum's sub-themes for this year are sustainable trade, technology-enabled trade, and a more inclusive trading system.

WTO’s major annual outreach event, the Public Forum, provides a platform for participants to discuss the latest developments in world trade and to propose ways of enhancing the multilateral trading system. The event attracts over 1,500 representatives from civil society, academia, business, media, governments, parliamentarians and inter-governmental organizations every year

The ASYAD session, held on October 3, was eagerly anticipated by Public Forum attendees and focused on the leadership of women in Oman’s business community, concentrating on the competitive advantage and vibrant role that women play in Oman’s business community. This is the first time Oman has hosted a session at this prestigious event.

The panelists who participated in the ASYAD session at the WTO Public Forum were Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson of the Mohsin Haider Darwish Group, Member of the State Council, Nasra Al Hinai, Country Logistics Supervisor, Baker Hughes GE; Shaima Al Lawati, Founder and Managing Director of Destination Sustainability; Isabelle Durant, Deputy Secretary-General, UNCTAD, Monique van Daalen, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva will be the moderator.

Alaa Khalfan Al Ghaithi, Senior Strategist (Trade Facilitation), Oman Logistics Centre, said, “ASYAD’s hosting of this session at the WTO Public Forum is an incredible recognition for Omani women who have been expanding their roles as business leaders and entrepreneurs. To encourage this change, Oman has been energetically supporting women and working towards gender diversity and inclusion.  Omani women have come a long way and will continue to make progress in business and other arenas”

The session provided an opportunity for Omani women to demonstrate that they are at the forefront leading development and change, exploring new technologies and business concepts, and introducing elements of Middle Eastern culture in international contexts. 

Oman Global Logistics Group “ASYAD’ was established in 2016 to maximize the economic and financial returns from the Government investments in ports, freezones, land and sea transport and logistic services companies and to implement National Logistics Strategy as mandated by the Omani Government.