By: Yasser bin Salem Al-Husseini

As part of the ongoing cooperation and coordination related to industrial development in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) and the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones in the Sultanate of Oman signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of industrial and economic consulting.

The MoU was signed in Muscat, the Omani capital, by H.E. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer of GOIC, and H.E. Sheikh Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al-Sunaidi, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, in the presence of a number of officials and experts from both sides.

According to the MoU, the organization will provide its services to support the transition towards “Factories of the Future,” offer consultancy to address the challenges facing industrial enterprises, as well as train and qualify national talents in the industrial sector. The organization will also support the establishment of specialized and interconnected industrial clusters within industrial and free zones in the Sultanate of Oman, cooperate in the exchange of industrial data and information, and prepare comprehensive plans to attract strategic industries and promote investment opportunities.

In this context, both parties emphasized that the signing of the MoU reflects their shared commitment to supporting sustainable industrial and economic development in the Sultanate of Oman and the GCC countries, and to strengthening the role of economic, free, and industrial zones of all kinds as key drivers of industrial growth.

H.E. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer of GOIC, affirmed that the signing of the MoU comes within the efforts of the organization to support national and regional strategies and to transfer its expertise in industrial and economic consulting and training. This contributes to raising the efficiency of industrial projects and achieving added value for the industrial sector within the framework of GCC joint action. He added that this initiative is part of the programs and objectives set by the organization to open new horizons for industrial investments in the Sultanate of Oman, increase industrial integration among GCC countries, and enhance the competitiveness of Gulf industries in global markets.

He also highlighted that the MoU will support efforts towards industrial sustainability, digital transformation, and the adoption of circular economy principles and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices.