Thursday 28 / November / 2024
Muscat: Tejarah Talks presents an exploration of the critical relationship between cities and businesses in Oman. Set for 7:30pm Wednesday, 1 November at Zain Auditorium, Omantel HQ in Airport Heights, the evening’s theme is ‘Cities & Business: A Winning Partnership for Progress.’
Today, cities are enablers and catalysts of change, but they need expert support from business to define, design and implement the solutions needed to achieve their ambitions.
By cooperating with business, government can stimulate local economies, attract and retain talent as well as encourage innovation.
This cooperation can take various forms, from public-private partnerships for infrastructure development to collaborations for technological innovation.
Businesses can also contribute to local governance by providing expertise, resources and innovative solutions to urban challenges.
Maymuna Al Adawi, Director, PPP, Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion and Tejarah Talks organiser underscores the importance of this collaboration: “By harnessing the power of cooperation, government can enhance its capacity to serve communities nationwide, drive sustainable development and navigate the complex challenges of our time. In fact, cooperation between Omani cities and businesses has far-reaching positive impacts, ranging from creating jobs and attracting investment to enhancing well-being and meeting our 2050 net-zero targets.”
Al Adawi further highlighted the issues that will be tackled at the upcoming Tejarah Talks: “We will explore the mechanisms that can help Omani cities and businesses broaden their agenda beyond mere profit to encompass wider economic, social and environmental objectives. Objectives that include nurturing culture, enhancing quality of life, promoting social equality and inclusion as well as bolstering resilience. Additionally, we will discuss how cities can establish a clear and tangible vision for a multi-stakeholder strategy with joint ownership by city and business leaders. Furthermore, we will look at what motivates businesses to engage with a city and deepen existing ties.”
Around the globe, cities and businesses are joining forces to enhance the daily lives of residents. For example, Copenhagen collaborated with businesses to develop a world-class cycling infrastructure, promoting healthier and more eco-friendly transportation. In Singapore, government-business partnerships have resulted in innovative waste management solutions, leading to cleaner and more livable cities. While London and New York have established close working ties with the business community to attract talent and investment, boosting their city’s brand on the global stage.
November’s Tejarah Talks will explore how Oman’s cities and businesses can learn from these global examples and collaborate in mutually beneficial ways. Discussion will investigate how local businesses, whether large or small, can positively impact their cities and what support and opportunities Omani cities can provide to nurture business growth. Panelists will also examine how cities and businesses can form partnerships to drive progress together.
Al Adawi highlighted that by 2050, nearly 70 percent of the global population will live in urban areas and businesses are stepping in to help cities meet the needs of their rising populations.
“As game changers with strong urban roots, they see first-hand the challenges that exist and are ideally placed to offer solutions. Indeed, it is clear cities with strong collaborative foundations have the potential to become fertile grounds for businesses to do what they do best: enhance quality of life, attract investment, create sustainable jobs as well as foster innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Supported by Jindal Shadeed, Sustainable City Yiti, Nortal, Omantel and OmanFM, the 1 November session will be moderated by Luma Al Saleh, Co-founder, Identity. Joining Al Saleh will be Wael Al Lawati, CEO, Muriya; Ibrahim Waili, Executive Director, Oman National Spatial Strategy, Ministry of Housing & Urban Planning; Haitham Busafi, CEO, Beyond XYZ; and Taavi Einaste, CEO, MENA, Nortal.
