author - oman observer

Oman’s move to establish a dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) zone in Muscat is being read as a technology play. It is not. It is a response to a deeper shift in the global economy, one that is...

The idea that the Gulf benefits from regional tension is no longer economically accurate. It survives as a legacy assumption from an earlier era — when oil dominated the region’s economic model...

MUSCAT, APRIL 21 Oman Investment Authority (OIA) has launched Furas, a digital platform designed to give local suppliers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) early sight of procurement...

MUSCAT, APRIL 20 As Oman accelerates its push toward a digitally enabled economy under Vision 2040, Ooredoo Oman is positioning itself at the forefront of this transformation. Leading the charge is...

MUSCAT, APRIL 19 Oman is emerging in a stronger relative position than several of its Gulf neighbours as war-related disruption hits trade, energy and transport links across the region, the...

At first glance, the debate seems simple: fewer banks, bigger institutions, stronger system. But Oman’s banking sector is not that simple — and reducing it to size alone risks missing the real...

MUSCAT, APRIL 14 Oman has expanded its strategic economic push into Africa through a set of agreements with Botswana covering solar power, fuel storage and mineral exploration, in a move that signals...

MUSCAT, APRIL 11 An agreement for the establishment of a low-sulphur marine fuel project is expected to be signed this year at Shinas Port, marking a step beyond the port’s current role as a cargo...

Oman's telecom debate is becoming increasingly disconnected from the reality of the market it is trying to describe. While public discussion remains focused on monthly bills, the sector itself...

Oman’s labour market challenge is often discussed in terms of one simple question: Are there enough jobs? But for an economy trying to accelerate diversification under Oman Vision 2040, the more...

East Africa is one of the closest growth markets to the Gulf and demand there for food, consumer goods, construction materials, machinery and spare parts is set to grow further. Gulf traders and...

Oman’s economy has entered 2026 on a relatively steady footing, supported by continued growth in non-oil sectors and stable inflation, even as lower oil prices and a sharply narrower trade surplus...

MUSCAT, APRIL 1 Structural gaps in skills alignment and work culture — not simply job availability — are shaping Oman’s labour market outcomes, a training and development specialist said,...

Oman’s decision to complete the acquisition of SalamAir is about more than ownership. It points to a broader reset of the Sultanate’s aviation sector around a clearer dual-carrier structure: Oman...

MUSCAT, MARCH 29 S&P Global Ratings has affirmed Oman’s sovereign credit rating at investment-grade ‘BBB-’ with a stable outlook, citing the strength of the sultanate of Oman’s fiscal and...

Oman’s East-West advantage is real. But geography, by itself, does not create prosperity. A country can sit on major shipping lanes, build modern ports and sign market-opening agreements, yet still...

MUSCAT: Oman is trying to move its mining sector beyond geological promise and into real industrial output, with a new pipeline of copper, titanium and industrial minerals projects taking shape as...

MUSCAT: The European Union is moving to deepen ties with Oman across energy, trade and regional security, positioning the Sultanate of Oman as a key partner in stabilising markets and advancing clean...

MUSCAT: Minerals Development Oman (MDO), the wholly state-owned mining sector investment company, grew its asset base strongly in 2025 even as revenue fell, highlighting how Oman’s mining sector is...

The real danger in the Gulf today is not oil alone. It is the cost of fear. That cost is now moving quietly through the global economy — through shipping routes, insurance premiums, freight charges,...