Muscat,
Dr. Ali Masoud Al Sunaidi, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) said that the Special Economic Zone in Duqm (SEZAD) witnessed growth in the volume of investment which entered the phase of operation due to the inauguration of Duqm Refinery.
Duqm Refinery, he added, exported 100 shipments of high-quality oil derivatives (4 million tons) to various countries of the world since the start of its operations.
This was announced during the annual media briefing held in Muscat by the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones.
Al Sunaidi pointed out that the cumulative committed investment in all zones of the authority by the end of 2023 amounted to approximately OMR 19 billion.
He added that this substantial growth can be attributed to the successful completion of several major projects in the region. Moreover, the free zones experienced an increase of over OMR 800 million in committed investment during 2023. Khazaen Economic City also witnessed a noteworthy increase in committed investment, amounting to about OMR 126 million.
Al Sunaidi noted that the average Omanization rate hit 34%, of which more than 75,000 are direct employment opportunities at various administrative and technical levels.
In terms of services, OPAZ facilitated the establishment of 2,187 new commercial registers in the areas under its supervision. Furthermore, it issued 2,183 public service licenses, 1,921 activity licenses, and 258 building permits. Additionally, OPAZ granted 3,351 licenses for work and investors, along with 465 environmental permits and licenses. These one-stop services provided by OPAZ demonstrate its commitment to supporting businesses and streamlining the regulatory processes, Al Sunaidi affirmed.
It is worth noting that OPAZ oversees a total of 22 areas, which include 14 special economic zones, such as the Special Economic Zone at Duqm and Khazaen Economic City, in addition to three free zones including the Sohar Free Zone, Salalah Free Zone, and Mazyona Free Zone, as well as nine industrial zones operated by the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn).
Additionally, there are eight other zones currently under development, two of which are economic zones and the rest are free zones. Furthermore, there are five industrial zones spread across various governorates of Oman.
