Interview: Khamis bin Saif Al Jabri
How do you evaluate Oman’s efforts to diversify its economy and strengthen its entrepreneurship ecosystem in the context of Oman Vision 2040?
KHAMIS BIN SAIF AL JABRI: The sultanate’s long-term development plan sets ambitious goals for diversification. While there has been an increase in non-oil activities, public revenue and merchandise exports, the pace of growth has been slower than expected. A key issue is the link between diversification efforts and the oil sector’s performance, along with a lack of coordination between policies, private sector development and employment. The reliance on crude oil and natural gas exports to fund imports further complicates diversification efforts.
Despite these challenges, Oman has implemented several reforms, including simplifying the licensing process, reducing business costs, investing in infrastructure, and promoting non-oil sectors like tourism, manufacturing and logistics. The government’s continued support for entrepreneurs through incubators and accelerators has also led to more new businesses being established, demonstrating that Oman is on the right path towards economic diversification.
What more can be done to stimulate high-value job creation and develop local talent to meet the demands of a growing and diversified economy?
AL JABRI: A key step is investing in education and training – particularly in science, technology, engineering and maths education, apprenticeships and vocational training – to equip the workforce for high-value jobs. Additionally, creating a supportive environment for research and innovation is essential, and this can be facilitated through funding, tax incentives and other support measures. Promoting entrepreneurship is also crucial, potentially through financial assistance, mentorship programmes and resources for start-ups.
Furthermore, Oman needs to maintain a favourable business environment with low taxes and streamlined regulations to attract foreign and domestic investment. Oman could also adopt successful programmes from other countries, such as offering tax breaks and incentives for job creation in high-value sectors.
To what extent is leveraging technology central to economic development, and how do you view the progress of digital transformation in the sultanate?
AL JABRI: Oman has launched several national programmes, including the Government Digital Transformation Programme. This initiative operates across four tracks: excellence in digital services, efficiency of solutions and infrastructure, empowering national capabilities and managing digital change, and community participation and awareness. Important initiatives include the priority digitisation of essential government services, the development of digital infrastructure for institutions and the unified electronic services gateway. However, despite the sultanate’s efforts, the UN’s 2022 E-Government Development Index ranked Oman 50th globally out of 193 countries, and a greater focus on electronic government services is needed.
In what ways is the government ensuring that the regulatory framework is sufficiently flexible and effective to achieve Oman’s main economic goals?
AL JABRI: Oman is implementing several measures to confirm that its regulatory framework is both flexible and effective in achieving the economic goals laid out in Oman Vision 2040. Central to this approach are planning, organisation, monitoring, evaluation and development. Oman is also focused on establishing that its administrative system can effectively prioritise and align objectives across government entities, control public spending and enhance revenue sources, while ensuring the fair distribution of government projects across provinces. Oman is also committed to fostering a partnership between the government, private sector, civil society and individuals to drive economic development and transition to a knowledge-based economy.
