Muscat: The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, alongside the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, and the Central Bank of Oman, showcased the ambitious National Digital Economy Program in Sohar.

With the esteemed presence of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al Kindi, Governor of North Al Batinah. The tour spotlighted key elements of the National Digital Economy Program, including government digital transformation, e-commerce, financial technologies, and digital infrastructure.

A series of presentations kicked off the event, outlining the program’s objectives and its critical role in driving economic growth. Highlights included a deep dive into the National E-Commerce Plan by the Ministry of Commerce, which focused on enhancing trust between consumers and merchants. The Central Bank of Oman shared insights into its financial technologies program, detailing its efforts to foster innovation and support emerging fintech startups.

Meanwhile, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority detailed its plans to boost digital infrastructure, emphasizing improvements to telecommunications networks with advanced technologies like optical fibers, 4G, 5G, and submarine cables.

The event culminated in an interactive dialogue session, allowing attendees to voice their suggestions and discuss ideas with experts. Dr. Nasser bin Mohammed Al Fanah, Director of the Technology Programs Office, highlighted the program’s goal to boost the digital economy’s contribution to GDP to 10% by 2040.

Eng. Abdulrahman bin Khalfan Al Maamari, Director of Infrastructure at the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, reiterated the focus on enhancing digital infrastructure. The program aims to expand fiber optic networks, improve 5G coverage, and replace outdated technologies with state-of-the-art solutions.