MUSCAT, DEC 31
The Government Communication Centre on Wednesday held its 30th meeting titled 'Proactive Communication Among Government Units'. It was attended by directors and representatives of communication and media departments in government units.
The meeting aimed to boost the preparedness of communication and media departments, enhance their readiness to manage government decisions and draw out a uniform understanding of approved methodologies, prior to the announcement of government decisions.
Ibrahim bin Salim al Salmi, Director-General and Editor-in-Chief of Oman News Agency, in charge of the Government Communication Centre, said in a speech that the meeting was in pursuance of the Centre’s ongoing approach to enhance the quality of communication within government units and to underline professional practices that contribute to supporting decision-making and its implementation.
He said: "Experience proved that the success of any government decision does not depend solely on the content of the decision, but rather it is closely linked to how such a decision is presented to society, the time of unveiling the decision and the standard of communication readiness that accompanies the announcement of the decision. These factors underscore the importance of proactive communication as a fundamental factor in enhancing confidence and mutual understanding between the government and society." Al Salmi pointed out that the meeting reflects the Centre’s approaches of shifting from reactive communication to proactive communication, developing shared institutional awareness about the importance of in-depth preparation for decisions that have a social impact, with the prime aim of diminishing challenges linked to implementation, unifying the discourse and raising the level of understanding and acceptance.
The meeting also sought to establish consistent government discourse and ensure the issuance of accurate and balanced messages. In addition, it offered an opportunity to highlight successful experiences in proactive communication among government units.
Zamzam al Hinai, Director of the Media Agenda and Integration Department at the Government Communication Centre, said, “Such meetings constitute an opportunity to exchange knowledge and showcase experiences in the field of government communication. The meetings have significantly contributed to promoting the adoption of best practices in communicating with the public." Abdulaziz bin Darwish al Zadjali, Director of the Communication and Media Department at the Ministry of Labour, gave a visual presentation in which he outlined the experience of proactive communication in the run-up to the Labour Law.
Osama bin Salim al Shukaili, Digital Communication and Marketing Analyst at the Tax Authority, gave a visual presentation on proactive communication with the context of the Personal Income Tax Law. He reviewed key practices and mechanisms used in preparing the public, including delivering communication messages related to the decision.
The meeting formed part of the Government Communication Centre’s ongoing efforts to develop government communication and enhance the exchange of experiences between communication and media departments in government units in a manner that serves the public interest and enhances confidence and interaction with society.
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