Saturday 20 / April / 2024
Muscat: A national initiative to develop Musandam’s infrastructure development plans has been launched by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), and will see companies in Musandam improve their capabilities, in addition to the setting up of an exhibition centre and a site for events and festivals.
Plans to hold a world economic conference and set up a social responsibility fund in Musandam are also a part of this initiative, which aims to aid the economic and social development of Oman’s northern governorate.
A statement from the OCCI said, “The Minister of State and Governor of Musandam, Sayyid Ibrahim Al Busaidi, learnt about OCCI’s activities during 2019 and its plan for 2020. He held a meeting with the board of directors of the OCCI of the governorate to ascertain the work and activities of the branch, which it had during 2019, and its plans for the current year 2020.
“I would like to emphasise the partnership between the public and private sectors and the support to the private sector,” explained Al Busaidi. “The OCCI is the official partner of the private sector, according to the Royal Decree issued for setting it up. A monthly meeting with the board of directors of the OCCI branch was also held to follow up on the economic development and discussions over it.”
The major challenges faced by the private sector during 2019 in Musandam came up for discussion during the meeting. Each such challenge was discussed separately. In addition to this, the activities and services given by the OCCI’s branch during the year 2019 were also highlighted. The volume of benefits of those who are associated with it was also evaluated. The meeting also discussed major initiatives including Musandam International Company for Investment and Marketing.
The OCCI statement added, “Deliberations were also held on the additional quality services provided by the OCCI’s branch in Musandam to its employees included a wide variety of innovative and interactive training programmes to raise the level of job seekers, entrepreneurs and employees and give them more information. The Musandam branch of the OCCI has also provided a package of free finance, accounting, tax, and administrative services and advices as well as these services were made available at a low cost through the Amwal Company and a package of free or low cost legal services and consultations were given through Khalifa Al Hanai’s office.
“The Musandam tourist chamber in Khasab port was successful in organising the sale of tourist packages for cruise ship passengers,” the statement said.
The Musandam branch of the OCCI signed an agreement on July 21, 2019 to enter into the unified registration system of the supplier, JSRS, through which all suppliers are registered and which is used for electronic tender and contract management in the oil and gas sector in the Sultanate. This is under its framework for encouraging, enabling and building the local private sector capabilities and to provide a database for the companies, which get government contracts in the governorate.
Raed bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Shehhi, Chairman of the board of OCCI’s Musandam Governorate branch, said, “Despite the limited financial and human resources, the chamber was working hard to achieve a qualitative shift for the private sector and the local economy in the governorate.
“This is in light of Oman’s Vision 2040. It is doing this by supporting the sector and its startups, building its capabilities and creating new opportunities and a business environment for it in the governorate so that more investments get attracted to it. We always look towards the world for our plans and initiatives. We are always ready to benefit from best practices of the world,” he added.
