Muscat: The Business Year (TBY), the leading international research firm and publisher of annual economic resources on national economies, is proud to announce the launch of its fifth edition on the Sultanate, The Business Year: Oman 2018, in partnership with The Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ithraa).
The launch event took place at Golden Tulip Seeb Hotel in Muscat and featured speeches by Mohammed Al Tobi, Minister of Environment and Climate Affairs, and Taleb Saif Al Makhmari, Director General of Marketing and Media of Ithraa.
Al Tobi spoke about Oman’s responsibility and role in the global transition to alternative energy, outlining government support for technological initiatives and the participatory process necessary among all stakeholders. National governments, the private sector, and civil societies must work in harmony for the transition to be a success, he said. His remarks helped introduce The Business Year: Oman 2018’s new Green Economy chapter, which covers the sectors of alternative energy, water and waste management, and utilities.
In his speech, Al Makhmari noted, “TBY helps tell the wonderful success stories that make up the vibrant tapestry, that is Oman’s thriving business community. In brief, it’s an invaluable business guide for Oman.”
William Reid, Country Editor for TBY, reflected on the Omani economy and the new edition’s focus, by saying, “The year 2018 marks a crucial year of investment in the Sultanate’s structural drivers of growth, as targeted by the Tanfeedh initiative. Our research examines the effectiveness of investments in the manufacturing, transport and logistics, tourism, fisheries, and mining sectors, as well as the burgeoning ‘green economy’ sector.”
The publication features over 200 interviews with top executives and government officials, including a special contribution from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, in which he discusses Tanfeedh’s effectiveness in sparking domestic economic growth, as well as its ability to attract new companies – large corporations and SMEs alike – to the Sultanate. In addition, key government officials such as Dr. Ali Masoud Ali Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry; Abdullah Nasser Abdullah Al Bakri, Minister of Manpower; and Dr Salim Sultan al Ruzaiqi, CEO of the Information Technology Authority, share their opinions on improving the investment climate, Omanisation efforts, and e-government plans, respectively.
The project’s supporting partners, Yahyaei and Salt, also contributed to the publication by providing key statistics on exports and the business environment, and by describing the legal framework necessary to further encourage local and foreign investors to choose Oman as a prime business hub in the GCC and Middle East.
TBY is the leading research firm and publisher of annual economic resources on national economies, present in over 35 countries. Each country-specific edition contains a comprehensive range of interviews and analyses, offering an inside look at doing business in the world’s most dynamic economies. TBY’s interviewees, readers, and partners comprise an international network of thought-leaders who are helping to define the future of the global economy. TBY is currently working to produce The Business Year: Oman 2019, the sixth publication on the country's economy and investment opportunities.