Muscat: The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) has launched an electronic window that allows individuals to report incidents that constitute violation of laws and regulations in the areas that OPAZ supervises.
The initiative aims to promote the principles of transparency, integrity, impartiality, and fairness, and encourage OPAZ employees and contractors to report any irregularities or illegal practices. The electronic window provides the necessary guarantees to whistleblowers, ensuring confidentiality and protection from any negative reactions that may harm their personal and job interests.
Issa bin Fadel bin Khamis al-Bartamani, Director of the Internal Audit Department at OPAZ, said to Oman Observer: “The launch of the electronic window aims to encourage OPAZ employees as well as contractors’ employees to report illegal practices that take place OPAZ. The necessary guarantees are also provided to the whistleblower because the reporting process ensures confidentiality and the protection of whistleblowers against any reactions that may harm their personal and job interests.”
He added too that bribery and document forgery are the most notable violations that can be reported.
the whistle-blower can report various violations that are seen in OPAZ, including criminal acts such as bribery, theft, extortion, money laundering, fraud, and forgery of documents. Non-compliance with laws related to job affairs, waste or misuse of public money, favoritism, and discrimination in the provision of services, and obtaining private benefits or gains from one party external are also violations that must be reported.
Other violations that can be reported include non-disclosure of conflicts of interest, threatening the health and safety of employees, harming the environment, violating rules of professional and ethical conduct, misusing powers, using the job to obtain personal benefit, or harming the interests of others, illegally disclosing confidential information or documents, and concealment in bad faith or negligence. Non-compliance with the internal control policies, systems, and rules, or applying them incorrectly, causing harm or threatening to do so against the person who reports the violation and covering up any of the violations mentioned above are also violations that can be reported through the electronic window initiative.
In term of the size of the investments, the cumulative investment volume in OPAZ has exceeded RO 15 billion. There are 8 different new economic, industrial, and free zones under construction or under study in Oman. These are expected to contribute significantly to a new shift in the industrial sector and to the decentralized development of the Sultanate of Oman.
Moreover, they are distributed in a number of governorates, the most important of which is the integrated economic zone in Al Dhahirah Governorate, which enhances partnership and economic cooperation between the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As the Zone is known for its strategic location that supports trade exchange and contributes to linking ports through the land route between the two countries.
Industrial exports represent the largest share of the non-oil exports of the Sultanate of Oman. The share of industrial exports constitutes more than OMR 6 billion, which is equivalent to about 85 percent of the total non-oil exports, which stood at OMR 7.3 billion by the end of 2022.
Industrial exports include mineral products and base metals, chemicals plastics, rubber, and related industries. The contribution of the industrial sector to both the domestic product and exports has achieved a noticeable increase with the progress in implementing the tenth five-year plan and its investment programs. This growth provides strong support for diversification efforts.
Even Oman has been implementing national programs to accelerate the pace of economic diversification, in line with the tenth five-year plan and Oman Vision 2040. These programs aim to promote the growth of the industrial sector, with the National Program for Investment and Export Development "Nazdahir" being one of the most important.
The program targets vital sectors such as industry, energy, mining, and food security projects, with investment initiatives amounting to OMR 11 billion for the period from 2021 to 2025, according to the strategic plan. The goal is to attract investments and develop exports.
In addition, the national program for economic diversification aims to accelerate the achievement of diversification targets and build a diversified production base that guarantees the sustainability and growth of the economy. Also, it aims to achieve the targets set for the economic diversification sectors during the tenth five-year plan.
The Sultanate of Oman is actively seeking sectors and industrial zones that act as engines of economic diversification, gradually transforming them into a source of sustainable growth for the Omani economy.
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