Oman Transport and Communications Minister Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salim Al Futaisi recently said Omani leaders have launched plans to expand the country’s transportation
infrastructure to bolster non-oil-based trade activity.
“Oman has invested heavily in hard infrastructure in
the transport sector,”
Al Futaisi
said. “Now, we are focusing on the soft
infrastructure of the sector with an eye on trade facilitation and improving
the ease of doing business.”
Al Futaisi relayed that Oman’s seaside ports, road systems
and aviation channels stand to improve measurably with “billions of rials”
invested into the respective modes. He described the strategy as supportive of
private enterprise and the relations between public and private sectors.
“The Omani government is working to liberalize the
transport and logistics sector and to foster more competition in the
market,” Al Futaisi said. “We are … bringing in private companies
through the licensing of some of the sector services such as a new budget
airline, second ground handler in the airports, cargo handling, etc.”
Oman’s economic transition is being documented by the Dubai-
and London-based Oxford Business Group (OBG), which plans to publish The Report: Oman 2017 as a look into the sultanate’s progress as it endeavors to diversify its resources while
maintaining its mining industry connections.
