Although five decades have passed since the Omani Renaissance, we have not been able to organise to date a huge international exhibition that characteries the Omani environment. The great many exhibitions that were held in the Sultanate of Oman over the past decades have been largely consumer events.
Today, there are calls for the Sultanate of Oman to specialise in holding an annual international expo that showcases its distinctive environmental components and the cultural appeal as reflected in the country’s tourism and environmental settings. The authorities concerned should study initiatives that would put Oman on the global map of the annual international exhibitions.
This importance of a grand expo was highlighted at the recent virtual session of Majlis AlKhonji, which was addressed by Amr Abdullah Baabood, CEO of the Arab House for Research Group, and the Oman International Trade & Exhibitions (OITE). He was talking about efforts to organize the 31st COMEX expo during May 23 to 25 at Oman Convention and Exhibition Center. This event is one of the largest technology exhibitions in the Sultanate of Oman, and the second largest in the region due to the participation of a large number of government and private institutions who will showcase their most prominent achievements and steps towards technological progress and digital transformation.
In addition, a group of international and local companies specialised in technology, communications and information technology will be present at the exhibition as well. It aims to promote awareness about the use of information and communication technology and artificial intelligence.
Its goal is to evolve into one of the most distinguished exhibitions in the Sultanate of Oman, targeting professionals, experts and all segments interested in information technology and related developments in this sector. It also aims to drive growth and technological progress, and to become a platform for discussing the latest global trends in the field of technology.
The speaker noted that the government has identified the information and communication technology sector as a key pillar in the nation’s economic development strategy and Oman 2040 Vision. That strategy prescribes steps to be taken to advance the digital transformation and provide electronic services through new portals, applications and platforms to achieve this goal.
COMEX has been organised in line with the objectives of the 2040 Vision and the designation of Muscat as the Arab Digital Capital for the year 2022. For its part, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology has launched a road map and executive plan for the implementation of the government digital transformation programme 2021-2025.
Specialised exhibitions in any country can enhance capabilities and contribute to their economic growth, leading to value creation and GDP growth. It necessitates careful study to select to identity the best platforms to make the Sultanate of Oman a destination that can attract international participants as well.
This does not mean that we abandon the organization of exhibitions in other sectors of oil and gas, transportation and logistics, education, health care, banking and financial services, tourism and others. All of them are in the interest of the Omani economy, but what we want is a powerful platform that will put an international spotlight on the country’s distinctive characteristics.
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