Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion of Oman Sign Cooperation Program to Establish an "Advanced Automation Center" in Oman

Written by: Yasser bin Salem Al-Husseini

The Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion of the Sultanate of Oman have signed a cooperation program to establish an "Advanced Automation Center" in Oman. The agreement was signed in the Omani capital, Muscat, by H.E. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Mohammed, CEO of the organization, and H.E. Dr. Saleh bin Saeed Masan, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion. The signing ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, officials, business leaders in the industrial sector, and Omani companies. The agreement was signed as part of the celebrations for Omani Industry Day, which is observed annually on February 9.

The cooperation program to establish the "Advanced Automation Center" in Oman aligns with the organization’s strategic programs and objectives aimed at supporting the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in digital transformation. It also supports member states’ strategies in adopting initiatives to enable smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0 technologies, digital maturity, and automation. This initiative reaffirms the organization’s role in supporting the industrial sector and fostering economic development in the GCC to achieve industrial and economic cooperation and integration among member states.

Under the cooperation program, the organization will provide technical support in designing and establishing the "Advanced Automation Center" by offering specialized technical consultations to support the implementation of automation-related projects and provide solutions for complex technical challenges. Additionally, the agreement includes conducting joint studies and research to develop advanced automation technologies by exchanging technical expertise and knowledge among the participating parties. The collaboration also extends to establishing a digital platform by developing a system for analyzing the digital maturity of factories, creating a database to monitor technological progress in the industrial sector, and offering training programs, workshops, and courses for automation professionals to enhance human capital development in this field.

It is worth noting that the signing of this cooperation program for the establishment of the "Advanced Automation Center" in Oman was part of the celebrations of Omani Industry Day, held under the theme "Oman at the Heart of Global Supply Chains." The event, observed annually on February 9, aims to support efforts to strengthen the industrial sector in Oman. This year’s theme focuses on supply chains and the role of local content in localizing supply chains. It also highlights the importance of local content in logistics services and its role in strengthening the industrial sector, along with opportunities to enhance local content in manufacturing-related logistics services, innovation, and technology in local logistics, ultimately contributing to economic growth, income diversification, and industrial integration while boosting local production.​