NBO Oman Economic Forum March 2016 1 Oman

NBO Oman Economic Forum March 2016 1

Oman is the ideal location for businesses looking for a stable vantage point to access the booming Middle East, African and Asian markets Continued economic and political stability– rated top 10 most secure countries by WEF Natural resources (oil, natural gas, copper, marble, limestone, gypsum, chromium) Rapidly growing and educated youthful market with extensive social infrastructure Modern transport and logistics with over $34 bn allocated for infrastructure during 2011 -2016 Located on the axis of the GCC, Asia and Africa on the Indian Ocean - 5 large-scale modern ports 2

Oman has one of the most advanced and stable banking systems in the world, with a regional footprint and key global alliances Local Banks Robust banking infrastructure with over 16 commercial banks One of the world fastest growing financial sectors (p. a. growth of 13%) Extensive regional footprint in GCC, MENA and emerging markets Foreign Banks High asset quality, with a mere 2% NPL ratio Banks are well capitalized and protected through Basel III 3

While the Middle East has witnessed declines in foreign investment, Oman has been able to defy the trend and is opening its doors for even further investment The Past Regional FDI Inflows Growth 2011 - 2014 The Future Oman Project Portfolio (Planned and Underway) 4% Middle East (average) Oman 10% 22% -19% +35% $160 – 170 bn 5% 26% 9% 7% 16% Source: World Bank; MEED Project Database - 2016 4

While the Omani Government has created a favorable environment for investors, as Banks we can play a special role to help facilitate financing Special Investment Vehicles Facilitate Easier Debt Financing Public Private Partnerships Facilitate Flow of Capital and Payments Banks can support the creation of dedicated infrastructure investment vehicles, these can be used to attract financing from a variety of sources including local and global banks, private equity and others like pension funds (e. g. clean energy funds) Working with government, Bank can help structure deals that facilitate easier debt financing. To do this, we can work with investors to break projects into smaller pieces or phases in order to make them more digestible and accessible to single developers Banks can play a critical role to ensure the seamless transaction of PPP. These include determining the most efficient financing structures, coordinate funding from investors, monitor project progress and manage the escrow and collection Banks can facilitate easier flow of payments between GCC, Oman and China. One example is to look establishing bilateral RMB swap lines which creates the liquidity and financial facilities to ease trade and investment transactions 5