Sunday 08 / February / 2026
Muscat: His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, sponsored the opening of the fourth edition of the annual “Together We Advance” forum, organised by the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers in line with the supreme directives of His Majesty the Sultan to enhance communication between the government and society, and to listen to the opinions, suggestions and aspirations of citizens across various sectors. The forum will run for two days.
The event features a number of discussion and dialogue sessions addressing key themes of public interest that contribute to comprehensive national development. Topics include Oman Vision 2040, investment opportunities in priority economic sectors, the development of governorates and their role in promoting investment, as well as the announcement of the winning teams in the “Ideas Makers – Hamat” programme.
His Excellency Sheikh Al Fadl bin Mohammed Al Harthy, Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, said: “With Royal blessing, the ‘Together We Advance’ forum will be held in the governorates starting next year.”
He added that the forum serves as an effective platform for strengthening community partnership and reflects growing awareness of setting priorities for the next stage, with the participation of more than 2,000 citizens from across the Sultanate of Oman.
His Excellency Dr Khamis bin Saif Al Jabri, Minister of Economy, said: “Every government entity has a clear plan aligned with Oman Vision 2040, and positive results are being recorded across various vision indicators.”
His Excellency Dr Saeed bin Mohammed Al Saqri, Economic Adviser at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, reviewed during the first discussion session the role of the office in enhancing and accelerating the competitiveness of the Omani economy, and highlighted the importance of future foresight amid global economic changes.
The Minister of Economy further said: “A national programme for private sector development has been established to identify the challenges it faces and the enabling factors needed to support its growth.”
He added: “Establishing channels to align job requirements in economic sectors with student qualifications and providing training programmes in the next phase is essential. There are indications of a gradual replacement of leadership in private sector institutions at the senior, middle, and professional and technical levels.”
His Excellency Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, said: “The industrial sector is one of the largest contributors to GDP, accounting for more than 10 per cent, while non-oil merchandise exports recorded growth of 8.3 per cent.”
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism said: “By the end of 2025, the total number of visitors to the Sultanate of Oman reached approximately 3.96 million, with tourism spending increasing by 18.1 per cent. The added value of the tourism sector amounted to OMR 1.1 billion.”
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: “The Chamber is a strategic partner in efforts to enhance GDP and remains committed to supporting vital initiatives and sectors, including investment, tourism and digital technologies.”
