Monday 13 / January / 2025
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, and in cooperation with Euroconsult, will host the Middle East Space Conference on Monday to promote the space sector in the Middle East and highlight its role as a strategic gateway to attracting investments in space applications and technologies to the region.
His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Amer Al-Shaythani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, explained that the conference would bring together 15 leaders from space agencies and international companies and about 70 speakers in various specialisations in the field of space applications and science, in the presence of nearly 400 interested participants from government institutions, and private sector in the space sector from various countries of the world.
His Excellency said in a statement to the Oman News Agency: "The holding of the conference comes as a translation of the vision of the Omani space sector policy launched in January 2023 to make the Sultanate of Oman the regional gateway for space applications that support economic diversification."
He pointed out that the conference - which brings together decision-makers and actors at the regional and global levels in space services, technologies and sciences - aims to discuss and exchange experiences and build partnerships that would contribute to establishing investment and economic projects in the Middle East region, which would fulfil ambitions and hopes in light of the revolution.
His Excellency added that the agenda and sessions of the conference, which is being held at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center over three days, seek to achieve several goals, most notably encouraging the flow of international investments, transferring and localising technological progress in the space sector at the national and regional levels, the most crucial space services required by the region, and localising technologies associated.
He confirmed that the Ministry is moving towards achieving the goals of the space sector, calling on the Ministry’s local, regional and international partners to work towards achieving common interests and to move forward to build societies and harness the potential that humans possess.
The first day of the conference includes several dialogue and discussion sessions, such as the requirements for building an integrated space sector through policies and strategies for the industry, financing, and established international partnerships, in addition to discussing the sector’s current situation at the local level.
On its second day, the conference will discuss many topics related to developments in the satellite communications market, strategies for Earth observation and monitoring applications via satellites, and the most prominent developments related to satellite technologies in various sectors such as oil and gas, environmental sustainability, and building smart cities to achieve common goals such as living in a sustainable environment and attain economic and cognitive progress.
The third day of the conference addresses the possibilities for advancing the space sector and what characterises the new space sector with the entry of private sector investments and the qualitative shift it has brought about in applications and services that have enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of many businesses and services in various fields.
On the sidelines of the conference, an accompanying exhibition will be organised that will include more than 25 local and international companies specialised in space technologies and sciences and will bring together providers and users of services and technologies to exchange experiences and build effective partnerships in supply chains, in addition to attracting investment opportunities, establishing new business partnerships, and spreading awareness about technological progress in space sector industry.
The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, seeks to develop and empower the space sector to achieve the goals of “Oman Vision 2040” effectively and as an enabler of economic diversification.
The National Program for the Digital Economy in the Sultanate of Oman places the space sector among the most prominent targets supervised by the Ministry’s National Center for Space, Advanced Technology and Artificial Intelligence. During the next ten years, the program will focus on projects and initiatives in-ground applications and activities and attracting investment opportunities in overhead and ground activities due to the Sultanate of Oman’s capabilities that qualify it for this.
