IRELAND : As part of the visit, the Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic and Free Zones (OPAZ) met with H.E. Dara Calleary TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion Digital and Company Regulation – responsible for regulating economic zones, issuing laws and regulations related to investment, and developing supportive electronic systems.

It is important to note that since the beginning of the year, OPAZ has started a transformation programme in association with International Development Ireland, benefiting from the Irish expertise in managing and developing economic zones. The cooperation aims to enhance the Authority’s ability to attract strategic industrial projects, to link supply chains between local and international manufacturers, to empower small and medium size enterprises, and to promote the use of digital platforms and applications.

During the visit, the delegation also met with the CEO of the Irish Investment Promotion agency ‘IDA Ireland’, the CEO of Enterprise Ireland and the Chair of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council in Ireland. The delegation also visited several economic zones, manufacturers and the Centre for Bioprocessing and Training, and discussed the methods of harmonization between different industrial zones, enhancing productivity, and increasing integration between them.

 The delegation also explored existing programs to enhance job opportunities, raise worker efficiency and skills development and professional competence; it discussed possibilities of collaboration in developing industrial clusters in the various zones in the Sultanate of Oman.