Plan unveiled for three new industrial estates in Oman

Muscat: Oman plans to build three new industrial estates, one each in Thumrait, Al Mudhaibi and Shinas,in a move to diversify the country’s economy and create employment opportunities for the youth.
Work is currently underway in coordination with various government agencies, especially the Ministry of Housing, to complete the allocation of lands for Public Establishment for Industrial Estate (PEIE) in the wilayats of Thumrait, Al Mudhaibi and Shinas, said Hilal bin Hamad Al Hassani, chief executive officer of PEIE.
Besides, Marmul and Qarn Al Alam are currently being studied in collaboration with the Ministry of Oil and Gas and Petroleum Development Oman to set up industrial estates. He added that hard work is needed to further develop the existing industrial estates in the wilayats of Sur and Al Buraimi.
Al Hassani added that PEIE has proposed certain locations to the Ministry of Housing to in the wilayats of Al Suwaiq and Al Musana'ah, in addition to requests to extend some of the existing estates like Raysut, Nizwa and Sumail.
He pointed out that Ibri Logistic Area has been changed as the area’s location has become part of Al Dhahirah special economic zone as work is currently underway with the Supreme Council for Planning on this regard.
He pointed out that there are approximately 900 existing projects currently in the industrial zones in the Sultanate, which employ more than 15,000 local people, and there are 242 projects under construction that will enter the operating stage within two years and thus will provide 12,000 job opportunities, of which 4,500 jobs for the citizens.
Al Hassani states that lands were allocated for more than 500 projects, which are expected to enter operation stage in the next three years and they will provide more than 25,000 job opportunities, including 9,000 jobs for the citizens. This means that the projects under construction or those that have been allocated lands will provide more than 14,000 job opportunities for Omanis over the next three years.
He also expressed hope that the number of Omanis working in industrial estates in the Sultanate will reach more than 30,000 citizens at the end of the Ninth Five-Year Plan.
The PEIE chief explained that PEIE, through development of various industrial estates in the Sultanate does not only focus on direct jobs and employment in existing companies, but seeks to provide self-employment opportunities through small and medium enterprises that provide investment opportunities for entrepreneurs.
The investment in industrial zones in the Sultanate exceeded OMR5 billion, hoping for higher investments in industrial estates in the coming years by focusing on value-added and relevant sectors of comparative advantage to activate the export role in the Sultanate to be the focus of the world station.
Further, work is well underway in each industrial estate in various governorates of the Sultanate with investors through communication with Contact Centre at PEIE and the website. The PEIE is providing fertile ground for entrepreneurs through the National Business Centre and the Industrial Innovation Centre, which is providing its services to existing industries to develop and improve their performance.