Oman Oil Co Plans 20%-25% Share Sale in 2020

An oil refinery in Oman. (Reuters)
An oil refinery in Oman. (Reuters)
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Oman Oil Co Plans 20%-25% Share Sale in 2020

An oil refinery in Oman. (Reuters)
An oil refinery in Oman. (Reuters)

State-owned Oman Oil Co expects to list 20% to 25% of the company in an initial public offering (IPO) by the end of next year, Oman's Oil Minister Mohammed al-Rumhi said on Wednesday.

If the listing goes ahead, Oman Oil Co will become the second national oil company to be listed in the Gulf region after Saudi Aramco's planned IPO later this month.

Speaking to reporters at a conference in Dubai, Rumhi said financial advisers for the deal had already been assigned. He did not name any advisors.

Oman plans to invest more than $20 billion in downstream operations in the next five years, he said, according to Reuters.

Rumhi also said he hoped the production cuts agreement between OPEC and its allies would be extended.

The listing plan comes as Oman seeks to raise cash from asset sales to contain a budget deficit due to lower oil prices.

Oman posted a budget deficit of 1.545 billion Omani rial ($4 billion) in January to September. ($1 = 0.3847 Omani rials)



France Signs Deals to Help Egypt’s Economy in Volatile Regional Climate

 Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron (L) attend the Egypt-France Business Forum, in Cairo, on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron (L) attend the Egypt-France Business Forum, in Cairo, on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
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France Signs Deals to Help Egypt’s Economy in Volatile Regional Climate

 Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron (L) attend the Egypt-France Business Forum, in Cairo, on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron (L) attend the Egypt-France Business Forum, in Cairo, on April 7, 2025. (AFP)

France and Egypt signed strategic partnership agreements on Monday, in areas covering health, transport and energy, which French President Emmanuel Macron said would help shore up Egypt's stability amid volatility in the region.

"Egypt is a strategic partner for our country," said Macron, speaking alongside Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at a news conference in Cairo.

"I would thus like to reaffirm France's commitment to ensuring the stability of Egypt given the context of a worsening climate in the region and as the Egyptian economy faces challenges," added Macron.

Macron said he continued to back talks between Egypt and the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission.

The IMF approved last month the disbursement of $1.2 billion to Egypt, which has been grappling with high inflation and shortages of foreign currency.

Macron added France's overseas aid development body would sign 260 million euros ($284.5 million) worth of loans and grants for Egypt in areas such as transport, health, water and energy.

Macron and Sisi also both reaffirmed their calls for a ceasefire to the fighting in Gaza and for the release of Israeli hostages.