Omani Industry Day celebrations focus on AI, factory automation

Industrial sector is of great importance for achieving comprehensive development in Oman, as the rest of the economic sectors revolve around it and integrate with it

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MOCIIP) recently celebrated Omani Industry Day in Sohar, under the theme 'Factory Automation and Artificial Intelligence'.

This year's Omani Industry Day celebrations emphasised the importance of the industrial sector as a main pillar of economic diversification and achieving the goals of Oman Vision 2040, in the context of the global shift towards the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The celebrations mainly focused on the use artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in the industrial sector, particularly in factories.

The ceremony was attended by H E Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, and a number of excellencies and high-ranking officials.

H E Dr Saleh bin Saeed Masan, Undersecretary of MOCIIP for Commerce and Industry, delivered a speech in which he emphasised that the industrial sector is of great importance for achieving comprehensive development in Oman, as the rest of the economic sectors revolve around it and integrate with it.

H E Masan noted that the latest data issued by the National Center for Statistics and Information indicate that the output of the manufacturing sector amounted to Ro2.454bn during the first nine months of 2023 at constant prices, and non-oil exports amounted to Ro6.767bn until November 2023.

According to the Global Industrial Competitiveness Report, issued by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Oman achieved a jump in its global ranking by about 16 places in just 7 years, and was ranked 56th globally out of 153 countries, reflecting the acceleration of industrial competitiveness over the past years.

The Omani Industry Day celebration ceremony included the inauguration of the National Product Identity Platform (Made in Oman), an electronic service platform to expedite the obtaining of a national product identity license and certificate, and the use of the logo on Omani products.

By establishing the National Product Identity Platform, MOCIIP aims to utilise the database of Omani products registered in it to guide various businesses and activities supporting local products and highlighting their quality and diversity.

During the ceremony, MOCIIP also signed four agreements with local companies to enhance the performance of the industrial sector.

On the sidelines of the ceremony, an accompanying exhibition was held in partnership between MOCIIP and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) in the North Al Batinah Governorate, and included about 40 government and private entities to introduce services and products and present business and investment opportunities in Oman.