Interview: Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi
What is the strategy for achieving sustainable and balanced growth to ensure economic diversification and management of resources?
SULTAN BIN SALIM AL HABSI: The SCP is focused on managing and directing the path of development for the sultanate through the national long-term development strategy, Vision 2020. The ultimate objective of this plan is to sustain per capita income and try to double it in real terms by 2020. The strategy rests on four interdependent dimensions: sustained and balanced growth, human resources development, economic diversification, and private sector development. The SCP seeks to identify the mechanisms required to implement the strategies set for the sultanate, and approve the general policy for urban planning in accordance with economic, social and environmental objectives. The National Centre for Statistics and Information represents the cornerstone of development planning and follow-up.
The SCP will also review the annual development budget for the five-year development projects and make financial allocations for these while carrying out periodic evaluations of strategies and public policies. In terms of regional and international cooperation, the SCP will set the framework of the sultanate’s economic collaborations with states and international organisations, while conducting studies as directed by Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said. The focus of development strategies and policies will emphasise social improvement to further advance the living standards of Omani citizens.
How is the SCP ensuring that economic and social development is carried out equitably across all regions of the sultanate?
AL HABSI: Achieving equity in the distribution of the fruits of development among regions and within them has been one of the main concerns of state officials and planners. Accordingly, all long-term development strategies have emphasised the importance of achieving greater balance. The SCP is emphasising regional planning, and the recent improvement of dividing the country into distinct provinces will promote integrated planning. To enhance the development of these provinces, the basic prerequisite is to improve the availability of detailed and accurate geographic information systems data that reflect the resources, both existing and potential, as well as the greater infrastructure and service needs of each region.
What regulatory measures is the government adopting in order to add to Oman’s desirability as a destination for foreign investment?
AL HABSI: As an open economy, the government encourages foreign investment with the intention to raise the domestic investment rate, acquire modern production techniques and management methods, and benefit from the connections of multinational companies to open new markets for Omani products. The government is committed to adopting regulatory measures in order to continue advancing the sultanate as a desirable destination for foreign investment. The SCP will play a prominent role in encouraging this investment and is presently evaluating strategies on how to fulfil this role for future development stages.
How will feedback from citizens help guide policy formation? Can their participation be increased?
AL HABSI: Collaboration with the population has a great impact on the SCP’s entire planning process and outcomes. This consultation and feedback serves as a means of identifying the needs and preferences of the citizens, which in turn will lead to the elaboration and identification of planning objectives. Furthermore, coordination between the SCP and the Omani people helps to facilitate organisation. The SCP is presently evaluating structures that can be used to obtain input from the population, both directly through consultations at our offices and indirectly through representative bodies such as Shura and municipal councils. Above all, the transparency of processes is paramount to the SCP.
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