MUSCAT: The Greater Muscat Structure Plan has joined the Global Business Districts Innovation Club as its 15th international member and the first from the Middle East region. This new international accomplishment underscores the Sultanate of Oman’s growing presence on the global urban map.
This membership marks a pivotal milestone, reflecting the advanced standing that Greater Muscat has achieved as a promising urban model that strategically integrates master planning, quality of life, sustainability, and the capacity to attract future investments and projects.
It also cements Muscat’s position within a network that includes a selection of the world’s most prominent business districts and commercial hubs, such as Paris La Défense in France, Chicago Loop in the United States, Toronto Waterfront in Canada and Liverpool BID in the United Kingdom.
This international recognition is a testament to the efforts led by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning to develop the Greater Muscat Structure Plan as a long-term strategic framework to reshape the capital, enhance its global competitiveness, and improve the efficiency of its urban and economic infrastructure in alignment with national objectives.
The membership reflects the strategic direction championed by the Greater Muscat Structure Plan towards building a more productive, connected and sustainable global city. This is being achieved through the development of an integrated economic ecosystem comprising 15 specialised economic clusters, strengthening the contribution of the non-oil economy, and establishing a modern urban transit network that supports sustainable mobility and quality of life — thereby reinforcing Muscat’s status as a competitive urban centre at both regional and international levels.
The Global Business Districts Innovation Club is one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to the development of global business hubs and urban centres. Its network brings together premier business districts, urban planning authorities, development and management companies, as well as a select group of investors, experts, and specialists in urban development, urban economics, and innovation.
The Club aims to foster collaboration, facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise, and develop more competitive, sustainable, and investment-attractive urban models.
Greater Muscat’s accession to this international network will enhance the capital’s global investment profile by providing access to a broad network of developers, investors, decision-makers, and international expertise specialised in the development of business districts and commercial centres. Furthermore, this membership offers an international platform to showcase the investment opportunities within Greater Muscat, promote its strategic projects, and attract high-impact partnerships that accelerate urban and economic development.
The membership also boosts Greater Muscat’s credibility and appeal among international investors by positioning it within a system that includes the world’s leading commercial centres. This supports its competitiveness in attracting foreign investment, gives its urban projects greater visibility in international discussions and events related to the future of cities and urban economies, and enables it to benefit from global best practices in developing integrated, sustainable business environments capable of attracting multinational corporations, talent, and long-term investment.
In its official welcome statement published on its website, the Global Business Districts Innovation Club affirmed that Greater Muscat’s accession represents a valuable addition to global dialogues on urban regeneration, governance and large-scale development. The Club highlighted the importance of exchanging experiences and practices among member cities to address shared urban challenges and develop innovative, sustainable solutions.
This achievement strengthens Muscat’s standing as a future-ready city capable of competing regionally and globally, and reflects growing international confidence in the urban vision adopted by the Sultanate of Oman to build more sustainable, resilient and livable cities. - ONA
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
