عمان تبني دولة من المستقبل.. رؤية 2040 بمدن ذكية وصناعية واستثمارات مليارية

Oman's Vision for 2040: A Future Beyond Oil

Economic Diversification and Growth

• In the 1990s, Sultan Qaboos of Oman initiated efforts to diversify the economy away from oil, contrasting with global trends focused on increasing oil production.

• Sultan Haitham, his cousin, introduced a vision for 2040 aimed at transforming Oman into a future-oriented state with smart cities and significant Omani involvement in economic change.

• The Omani economy has shown resilience, growing from 20% to about 30% of GDP since 2001, with projections indicating it will be one of the most developed economies in the Gulf by 2023.

• Growth forecasts suggest an increase in GDP by approximately 4% in 2024, largely driven by rising oil and gas prices due to geopolitical factors like the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Historical Context and Transition

• Historically an agricultural nation reliant on fishing and trade, Oman discovered oil in 1964; this led to oil dominating its economy within years.

• Anticipating depletion of oil reserves, Oman began planning for a post-oil era as early as 1996, focusing on natural gas development and economic diversification through privatization.

Strategic Development Plans

• The strategic development plans initiated by Sultan Qaboos were officially activated under Sultan Haitham in 2021. These plans aim for comprehensive revenue generation by 2040.

• Key goals include doubling per capita GDP, reducing reliance on oil sectors, boosting tourism and agriculture industries, and increasing foreign investment to account for ten percent of GDP.

Focus Areas for Development

• The vision emphasizes three main axes:

• People & Society: Enhancing education, health care, cultural identity.

• Economic Development: Fostering innovation across sectors.

• Corporate Governance: Establishing transparent regulations that protect rights and promote accountability.

Environmental Sustainability Initiatives

• Oman's strategy includes leveraging its strategic location to achieve water and food security while combating climate change through clean energy initiatives.

• Plans involve developing smart cities aimed at improving environmental performance rankings globally while diversifying industrial outputs beyond petroleum products.

Industrial Expansion Efforts

• Since the establishment of industrial projects starting in the late '70s, Oman has focused on enhancing infrastructure such as power generation and water desalination facilities.

• By establishing public institutions for industrial areas (e.g., Rusayl Industrial City), Oman aims to expand its industrial sector significantly under its Vision 2040 plan.

This structured approach outlines Oman's ambitious plans towards economic diversification while addressing historical dependencies on oil.

Smart Cities Development in Oman

Overview of Investment and Vision

• The generalization rate for projects exceeds thirty-eight percent, despite global challenges.

• Total investment in Madayn is at a rate of one and six percent, with project risks assessed at three to four percent.

• These initiatives align with the vision for 2040, focusing on climate change reduction and enhancing quality of life.

Key Smart City Projects

Mineral City of Sultan Haithem

• This smart development spans fourteen million eight hundred thousand square meters and will accommodate 100,000 residents across twenty thousand housing units.

• The city features nineteen residential neighborhoods equipped with various facilities to meet community needs, including three to five mosques and eleven health facilities.

Sohar City

• Another significant project is the city of Sohar, covering an area of twenty million square meters with ten thousand housing units designed for fifty thousand people.

• The specifications for this city are still under development but aim to cater to modern living requirements.

Muscat Developments

• A new city in Muscat is planned across two sites, although specific details regarding size and capacity were not provided in the transcript segment.