RAM's Mahwar to develop leaders at local level

STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT, OCT 24
In line with the Royal Directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to strengthen the role of governorates in national development and enable local administration to fulfil its role, the Royal Academy of Management (RAM) has launched the Mahwar programme for local leadership development in the governorates. The programme aims to prepare leaders capable of steering local development, leading change in government work practices and delivering development priorities in line with Oman Vision 2040.
The programme forms part of the National Initiative for the development of local administration, which aims to build national capabilities in the governorates and strengthen their role in comprehensive and sustainable economic development. Mahwar develops participants’ leadership and managerial skills, equips them with strategic planning tools and data-driven decision-making, and encourages practical solutions to challenges on the ground. This helps improve the quality of services provided to citizens and strengthens the competitiveness of the governorates.
The programme brings together 25 administrative and executive leaders involved in local administration across the governorates and in Muscat and Dhofar.
Dr Ali bin Qassim al Lawati, RAM President, said, “Mahwar is a direct reflection of one of the most important shifts of the renewed renaissance: moving governorates from recipients of development to partners in shaping it. His Majesty the Sultan’s directives to empower governorates and strengthen decentralisation are more than an administrative step. They set out a strategic vision of a state governed close to people’s needs, one that builds on each governorate’s comparative advantages and treats it as a development entity in its own right. This shift cannot be achieved through powers and resources alone. It requires local leaders with the strategic vision and ability to turn opportunities into initiatives and projects with a lasting impact.”
Rashid bin Mubarak al Hamdani, Programme Supervisor, said the programme is built on an applied learning experience that combines leadership knowledge with field practice, enabling participants to strengthen their tools in planning, project management and performance measurement, and to approach development challenges through innovative methodologies. He added that it also focuses on strengthening collaboration between government entities, the private sector and the local community, supporting flexible working models that respond to the needs of the governorates and contribute to tangible development outcomes.