Symposium to focus on OFFSET role in supporting economic development

MUSCAT: The Omani Authority for Partnership for Development (OAPFD) will organise a symposium on October 7 under the theme ‘The Role of OFFSET in Supporting Economic Development-selected World Experiences’ under the patronage of Dr Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Authority.

The symposium aims at exchanging knowledge and experience and creating a greater awareness among key stakeholders of the role and importance of the Pfd/offset programme, by hosting a number of international experts in the field of the Partnership for Development programme.

Following the symposium, experts from the UK’S Cranfield University will hold technical PFD workshops for government and private entities which are concerned to implement the PFD programme.

The workshops will be held as part of the OAPFD’S strategy to organise a series of introductory workshops, conferences and awareness campaigns for the PFD programme and the mechanisms for its implementation to achieve the objectives of the OAPFD.

The Omani Authority for Partnership for Development (OAPFD) was established pursuant to the promulgation of Royal Decree 9/2014 to manage and administer the Partnership for Development (Pfd/offset) programme.

The objective of the authority is to ensure that all units of the State Administrative Apparatus and the companies in which the government share is more than 50 per cent should apply the PFD programme in all procurement contracts which exceed RO 5,000,000 with foreign companies and with local companies where foreign content is involved.