The working visit of Rustam Minnikhanov, Chairman of the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia - Islamic World” and Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, to the Sultanate of Oman evolved into a large-scale diplomatic and economic mission, covering key areas of cooperation: from investment and trade to urban development, Islamic finance, and interfaith dialogue. The visit, held on the sidelines of the OMNEX 2026 International Trade Fair, was a logical continuation of the active dialogue initiated last year and outlined concrete paths for deepening the strategic partnership.
At a meeting with the Special Advisor to the Oman Investment Agency, Mulham Al-Jarf, Rustam Minnikhanov noted the impressive but unsustainable growth in trade turnover, which increased 15-fold (to $20 million) in 2023, but then declined. Promising sectors were highlighted: energy, petrochemicals, agriculture, IT, and, of particular interest to the Omani side, the production of halal products for children.
“We have many opportunities for cooperation <...> We need to work on increasing the volume of mutual trade,” Minnikhanov emphasized.
The International Economic Forum "Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum", to which Omani delegations were invited, was named as the key platform for presenting these opportunities.
The topic of economics continued with meetings with the head of the General Authority of Economic Zones, Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, and the chairman of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Faisal Abdullah Al Rawas. The Tatarstan delegation presented the experience of special economic zones and the republic's pilot status in Islamic finance, with transaction volumes already exceeding 2 billion rubles.
A separate section of the talks was devoted to exchanging experiences in the construction industry and urban planning. In a conversation with Minister of Construction and Urban Planning Khalfan bin Saeed Al Shueilin, Rais of Tatarstan described the industry as one of the driving forces of the republic's economy (with a volume of work totaling nearly $13 billion) and the stable commissioning of over 3 million square meters of housing annually.
The Omani side, in turn, shared ambitious plans within the framework of the "Vision 2040" strategy, which envisions doubling the population and commissioning 62,800 new residential units by 2030. The parties agreed to exchange best practices in the field of integrated development and improvement.
The most important part of the visit was a meeting with the Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments, Sheikh Mohammed bin Said Al Mamari. Rustam Minnikhanov presented Tatarstan as an example of harmonious coexistence between faiths and "the northernmost part of the Muslim world."
"Interethnic and interreligious peace and harmony in the republic are the foundation of development," noted the Rais of Tatarstan.
Within the framework of the planned "roadmap", cooperation will develop in several areas: organizing Arabic language courses for Tatarstan imams, examining editions of the Quran, including the handwritten mushaf of the Kazan Quran, and joint scientific events.
The visit also highlighted Tatarstan's role as a link in the broader international arena. A separate meeting was held with Turkish Deputy Minister of Trade Sezai Ucharmak, during which the growth of trade turnover (more than $3 billion) and plans for the participation of Türkiye, a partner country, in the upcoming KazanForum were discussed.
The highlight of the public event was Rais's participation in the opening ceremony of the OMNEX 2026 exhibition, where Tatarstan presented its first stand. In his speech, Minnikhanov emphasized the republic's innovations and unique experience in Islamic finance, noting the opening in Kazan of the world's first representative office of the key institution in this field, AAOIFI (Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions).
The working visit demonstrated the effectiveness and systematic approach of the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia - Islamic World”, led by Rais of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, in building multifaceted relations. The visit to Oman confirmed the Group's established role as a key and competent platform for advancing Russian interests in dialogue with the Islamic world, offering partners a unique combination of economic potential, interfaith experience, and expertise in Islamic economics.
Key instruments for this work are major international platforms. For example, an invitation was extended to Omani partners to the International Economic Forum "Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum," whose goal is to strengthen trade, economic, scientific, technical, social, and cultural ties between Russia and the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. This annual forum, held with the support of the Federation Council and the Government of Tatarstan, allows for a new exploration of the potential for cooperation.
The visit, in turn, was timed to coincide with another significant event – the Oman Expo & International Forum (OMNEX 2026), which became a key platform for dialogue. Held from February 2 to 4, 2026, the exhibition combined an international exhibition, an investment forum, B2B sessions, and panel discussions, bringing together key players of the Gulf business season.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the Rais RT