Oman signs agreements for 100 new industrial projects worth OMR1.5bn
The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, celebrated Oman Industry Day, which falls on 9 February every year.
The slogan of this year is 'Oman at the Centre of Global Supply Chains'. It reflects the Royal interest attached to this sector due to its vital role in enhancing diversification and spurring economic growth.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of HH Sayyid Dr. Fahad bin Al Julanda Al Said, Vice Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), in the presence of Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion and some undersecretaries. A number of officials and businessmen in the industrial sector and Omani companies also attended the ceremony.
Dr. Saleh bin Said Masan, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Commerce and Industry, said that the latest data issued by the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI) indicate an increase in the output of the converting sector by 8.5 percent to reach OMR2.686 billion by the end of September 2024 at constant prices compared to the same period in 2023.
He said in his speech that the Global Competitive Industrial Performance Report issued by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) indicates that the Sultanate of Oman achieved third place in the Arab world and 53rd globally, which reflects the acceleration of industrial competitiveness capabilities over the past years.
He affirmed that the industrial sector has managed to achieve the targets of the Industrial Strategy 2040 during 2022 and 2023, as OMR3.44 billion was set as a target contribution for converting industries to the GDP for the year 2022.
The contribution of this sector witnessed a growth of 19 percent between 2020 and 2023, reflecting the continuous progress towards achieving the goals of the strategy, thanks to the joint cooperation between the public and private sectors, he added.
The industrial sector also provided about 26,000 job opportunities for Omanis since 2020, achieving a growth rate of 79 percent compared to 2020, reflecting its prominent role in supporting the national workforce, said Dr. Saleh.
Dr. Saleh pointed out that non-oil commodity exports recorded a remarkable increase, reaching about OMR7.5 billion by the end of 2023, compared to OMR3.4 billion by the end of 2020, reflecting the accelerated growth in the industrial performance of the Sultanate of Oman.
In his turn, Faisal bin Abdullah Al Rowas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) affirmed that the industrial sector enjoys tremendous opportunities for growth, sustainability and empowerment of the private sector in the Sultanate of Oman.
He pointed out that the OCCI supports the empowerment of the private sector by anticipating challenges and attracting investments, in addition to empowering the Omani product and raising its competitiveness in local and foreign markets.
During the ceremony, three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were inked.
The first one, signed with the International Centre for Industrial Transformation in Singapore, is related to supporting and encouraging factories to adopt the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The second MoU, signed with the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting, pertains to providing consultations to establish a center for advanced automation, while the third MoU announced a strategic partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion launched, during the ceremony, the service of obtaining the national product identity certificate within the Made in Oman platform. It aims to promote Omani industries and highlight national products.
The advanced automation centre was also launched, which aims to develop industrial capabilities to transform Omani industries into leading factories in digital transformation.
A programme to qualify certified assessors using the Siri methodology was also launched to ensure that assessments are conducted accurately and professionally by training assessors on the latest methods and tools necessary to assess the readiness of facilities for industrial transformation.
The ceremony also saw the announcement of the Certificate Verification Programme (Professional Accreditation), which provides a reliable service to companies to facilitate the process of verifying academic and professional documents. The Ministry also launched the Industrial Sector Enablers Guide, with the aim of enabling partners to identify the opportunities available in the industrial sector in the Sultanate of Oman and how to utilize them.
Meanwhile, Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Qasmi, Head of the Local Content Office at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, gave a visual presentation in which he reviewed the industry's achievements and contributions in the Sultanate of Oman.
Dr. Ahmed bin Khalfan Al Badawi, Director of the Industrial Strategy Implementation and Evaluation Department at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, also gave a visual presentation on the Industrial Observatory and its aspirations.
On her turn, Anfal Zaher Al Afani, Head of Markets and Trade Facilitation Department at Oman Logistics Center, gave a visual presentation on supply chain improvement methodologies and how to use connectivity and integration to improve the supply chain to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
During the ceremony, a dialogue session was held on supply chains and their importance with the participation of a number of specialists from the public and private sectors.
Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, held a dialogue session with the Omani industrialists. The session addressed means of enhancing local content and focused on the importance of strengthening supply chains in the industrial sector.
They exchanged views on the challenges and opportunities available to Omani companies. It also highlighted how to enhance cooperation among various stakeholders to support sustainable growth in the sector.
Gerd Muller, Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), lauded the Sultanate of Oman's pioneering role in the field of sustainable manufacturing.
He pointed out that these efforts reflect Oman's keenness to promote economic and social development in line with the organization's mandate, affirming that Oman has proven its ability to take serious steps towards developing a sustainable industrial sector, making it a role model to be emulated in the region.
In his turn, Jesmond Hong, Chief Operating Officer of the International Centre for Industrial Transformation, said that the centre looks forward to strengthening cooperation with the Sultanate of Oman to drive industrial transformation and enable the manufacturing sector to achieve a prosperous future.
The centre is a non-profit and independent organisation that aims to promote manufacturing transformation through collaboration with the public and private sectors.
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