MUSCAT, FEB 2 - Two new industrial cities are planned for development at Shinas (North Al Batinah Governorate) and Thamrait (Dhofar Governorate), according to the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn).
Local and international tenders for the establishment of the two industrial cities will be floated this year, said Hilal bin Hamad al Hasani, Chief Executive Officer of Madayn. Development is also expected to commence in the Mahas area of the Sultanate, while several significant investments will be announced soon in the Suhar and Sur industrial cities, he said.
The announcement came as the Sultanate prepares to will celebrate this year’s Industry Day, commemorating the visit of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos to Rusayl Industrial City on February 9, 1991. The Sultanate’s Industry Day comes against a backdrop of strong growth in Madayn investments. By the end of the first half of 2018, the total investment volume in industrial cities falling under Madayn’s remit grew 2.16 per cent compared to the same period in 2017.
The size of the workforce in various industrial reached 56,887 employees as of mid 2018, with an Omanisation rate reaching 34 per cent. Moreover, the number of totalled 2,071, comprising 1,389 in operation, 368 are under construction and 314 allotted land. The total area of the industrial cities has touched 104,494,694 sqm during the same period with utilisation rate of up to 54 per cent.
Following the promulgation of Royal Decree 32/2015, Madayn has become more autonomous, said Al Hasani. “The Royal Decree has provided the legal basis for real partnership with the private sector and enhanced Madayn’s role in investment in the field of development, management, and operation of industrial cities and specialised economic areas. We have also launched the new brand mark ‘Madayn’ with global dimensions, which comes in light of the ongoing efforts of economic diversification in the Sultanate,” he pointed out.
Oman Investment and Development Holding Company (Mubadrah), the investment and development arm of Madayn, has the mandate to support PPP initiatives, he said. Mubadrah aims to attract international developers and operators to support the development of industrial cities.In support of this objective, Madayn will launch an Investment Window in all the industrial cities during 2019.
New initiatives in 2019 will include the official inauguration of Samayil Industrial City, the completion of Phase 7 of Sohar Industrial City, and the opening of the Facility Building in Suhar.
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