Ministry of Technology and Communications inks MoU to launch Center of Excellence

Muscat: The Ministry of Technology and Communications (MTC), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wipro Limited, a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company to launch a Center of Excellence (CoE) for open source.
The MoU was signed by Dr Salim bin Sultan Alruzaiqi, Chief Executive Officer, MTC and Sanjeev Tayal, Vice President and Business Head, Middle East, Wipro Limited. Under this MoU, MTC and Wipro Limited will collaborate to build, deploy and sustain the CoE as well as accelerate the adoption of open source technologies in the public and private sectors of Oman and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
The CoE will focus on building a talent base of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) graduates specialising in open source capabilities through comprehensive training and skill development programems. It will encourage co-innovation by collaborating with local and regional industries (small, medium and large enterprises) in Oman and contribute to its in-country value (ICV). MTC will work with Wipro to develop solutions and services leveraging open source technologies to enable digital transformation, connected everything / Industry 4.0, legacy modernisation, artificial intelligence and cloud-native architecture for the education, energy, natural resources & utilities (ENU), banking, financial services & insurance (BFSI), defence & security, transport & logistics, government, tourism and communications industries in Oman.
The agreement is closely aligned to Oman’s vision of positioning itself as one of the most recognised countries for open source expertise in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Wipro will continue to make long-term investments in resources and infrastructure to build this CoE and help MTC unlock the potential of open source. Through this MoU, Wipro will expand its local presence in Oman and enable MTC to realise its goals of building a digital economy and becoming a regional IT powerhouse.
Hassan Fida Al Lawati, Director General, Digital Society Development, Ministry of Technology and Communications, Oman said, “This MoU is an important milestone towards developing open source expertise in Oman and enriching the country’s technology portfolio. We are confident that this agreement will help Oman become a thriving digital economy with new job opportunities, providing Oman’s young generation with a better future.”
Sanjeev Tayal, Vice President and Business Head, Middle East, Wipro Limited said, “We are delighted to partner with the Ministry of Technology and Communications, Oman. Talent development and localisation have always been key focus areas of our business strategy. Wipro is engaged in multiple IT projects in Oman and this agreement is a significant step forward in our continued effort to support the Sultanate of Oman. This initiative aligns well with Oman’s ICV objectives and our business goals."
Andrew Aitken, Global Open Source Practice Leader, Wipro Limited said, “We’re very excited to be working with the government of Oman to help support technology innovation and modernization with multiple strategic open source activities.”