Eye on advantages, forum to focus on smart cities

Muscat: Smart cities and how they can enhance people’s lives will be the primary discussion at the spring forum being organised by the Special Economic Zone Authority in Duqm (Sezad) and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI).
The forum, entitled ‘Al Duqm – Society & Economy’, the fourth discussion organised by Sezad and the OCCI, will be held on April 8, 2019 at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The planned event is the result of collaboration between Sezad and OCCI’s Al Wusta Governorate Branch, which was announced on Tuesday.
The forum’s theme next year will be ‘The Smart Cities Economy’, in cooperation with many international and local figures specialised in the field of Smart Cities and Artificial Intelligence.
The agreement was signed by Dr Ismail bin Ahmed Al Balushi, Deputy Chairman of Sezad, Dr Salim bin Saleem Al Junaibi, Vice President of OCCI for Industrial Affairs and Nassir Bin Salim Al Shuwaili, Deputy CEO of Four Dimension Media Advertising and Publishing Co.
The two sides have concluded an agreement with Four Dimension Media to act as the organiser of the forum.
Dr Al Balushi stressed that the theme of the forum follows the policy adopted by Sezad to promote the smart services and systems built into the Duqm infrastructure.
He noted that the forum will shed light on the future vision of establishing smart cities through discussions with experts and competent personalities.
He added that the authority exerts all possible efforts to improve the environment of investment and adopt those systems and mechanisms that assist the works of corporations and investors in Sezad.
In this regard, Dr Al Junaibi noted, “This event is deemed the most important platform for talking about the developmental and industrial projects in Al Wusta Governorate, in general, and Sezad, in particular. Through this, numerous corporations, along with businessmen, businesswomen and experts, will meet to set the future visions and strategies for developmental and industrial projects.
“We all will endeavour, and spare no effort, to ensure the success of the agenda of this international forum, paying tribute to the success achieved by the past three versions of this event,” he added.