Muscat, Oman, 30 January 2011 - His Highness Sayyid Harib bin Thuwaini Al Said, Assistant Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers for Conferences, will preside over the formal inauguration today (31 January) of the Oman Construction Summit 2011, a high-profile event dedicated to the major infrastructure projects and investment opportunities in the Sultanate's construction sector.

Organised jointly by Global Exhibitions & Conferences LLC (GEC) and the US-based International Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC), the Oman Construction Summit 2011 will feature the presentations of high-profile speakers including ministry officials, industry experts and leading personalities in Oman's building and construction industry.  Over 240 industry professionals representing major construction, engineering and consulting firms with operations throughout the region will also participate as delegates of the summit.

Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Housing, the Oman Construction Summit 2011 is supported by Douglas OHI LLC, Driver Global Construction Consultancy and the Joannou & Paraskevaides Group (J&P) as gold sponsors. The associate sponsors of the event are Makyol, Outukumpu, Parsons and Sigma Paints, while Milcris is the lunch sponsor and Al Waqia Shoes Company serves as the lanyard sponsor. The event is also officially supported by Oman Housing Bank, the Oman Society of Contractors, the Oman Society of Engineers, and the UK-based Concrete Society.

"The Oman Construction Summit 2011 will serve as an opportunity for policymakers, investors, contractors and industry professionals to get together and discuss all the latest developments in the industry, including opportunities in the market as well as the status of major projects now being implemented in the Sultanate," said CJ Paul, General Manager of GEC, one of the leading event management companies in Oman.

Paul pointed out that the event already began yesterday (30 January), with a Pre-Summit Focus Day, which discussed the comprehensive development program currently being undertaken in Duqm. The summit itself, which formally starts today and will run until tomorrow, will put the spotlight on Oman's strategic infrastructure projects, the growing construction market in the Sultanate and the country's expanding energy and utilities infrastructure. The final day of the Oman Construction Summit 2011 on 2 February will consist of workshops focusing on innovative design and construction technologies as well as the development of sustainable and durable infrastructure.

Today's inauguration ceremony will be held at the Afrah Ballroom of Grand Hyatt Muscat and will be attended by ministry officials, ambassadors and other members of the diplomatic corps, as well as senior management from construction companies and contracting firms. The formal inauguration program will conclude with a tour of the exhibition held alongside the conference.

The Oman Construction Summit 2011 will feature a total of 22 companies that will showcase their range of innovative products, equipment and services for the building and construction industry. Exhibiting organizations accompanying the main sponsors are Amiantit Oman LLC and KWH Pipe Ltd., Arminox Middle East, Dar SSH International Engineering Consultants, Doka Muscat LLC, DORÇE Prefabricated Building and Construction Industry Trade Inc., MK4MEPS, PERI, Pitchmastic PmB, RMD Kwikform Oman, BBR Structural Systems Middle East, Treysan, Unibeton Ready Mix and the Volkmann & Rossbach Group.

"The Oman Construction Summit 2011 brings together a veritable who's who of the leading players, prominent personalities and other influential figures in the sultanate's construction sector, making it a must-attend event for all industry professionals," said Rozenn Cornec, Conference Director at IQPC Africa, Middle East, Central and South Asia.

Apart from its major sponsors, the Oman Construction Summit 2011 has also received the strong support of major media companies and leading industry publications. The event's media partners include Airport Cities, Al Watan, Alam Aliktisaad Walamaal, Aviation Middle East, the International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, MBendi Information Services, Oman Economic Review (OER), OER Dossier, Oman Projects, Oman Tribune, Oxford Business Group and the Times of Oman.

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For more information on the event, please visit www.omanconstructionsummit.com, or contact +968-24783800 or +971-4-3642975.

© Press Release 2011