MUSCAT : The agreements were signed by His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Chairman of OPAZ, alongside representatives of the partnering companies.

A key agreement was a contract to construct main roads and a surface water drainage system in the Al Dhahirah Economic Zone at a cost of RO 22.3 million, to be implemented over 24 months by an Omani-Saudi consortium. The project includes 17 km of dual and single-lane roads, solar-powered lighting infrastructure, 6.3 km valley diversion channel to mitigate flood risks, Rainwater drainage systems and box culverts and environmental protection and excavation works.

The agreement also mandates that RO 2.23 million worth of the project be subcontracted to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and enforces a 30 percent Omanisation rate, including in leadership roles, to build specialized national expertise.

OPAZ also signed an MoU with Sohar International Bank to support investment in the zone. The bank will offer innovative financial solutions, preferential services to companies, and access to the Authority’s electronic investor platform. It will also provide investment advisory services to local and foreign investors and deploy sector-specific experts to support priority projects.

Three MoUs were also signed expressing investment interest in the zone by Sohar International, Poly Products Company Ltd., and Naseem Ibra Company, highlighting strong private sector interest in the zone’s potential.

Two Service Level Agreements were also signed with Al Watanyiah United Engineering (Oman) and Dar Al Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) to provide engineering consultancy services to investors. These include design and technical planning, architectural and structural drawings, supervision and feasibility studies and fast-tracked building permit issuance through accredited firms.

The Al Dhahirah Economic Zone is a core component of Oman’s economic diversification strategy and Vision 2040. Its location near the Oman-Saudi border positions it as a key gateway for cross-border trade and a vital logistics corridor within the GCC.

Eng. Yahya bin Khamis Al Zadjali, Chairman of the Assets Committee and Advisor to the OPAZ Chairman, emphasised the region’s role as a logistics and industrial hub, linking land and sea transport networks between Oman and Saudi Arabia. He noted that the Authority has finalised a comprehensive master plan, with 20 sq. km allocated for Phase One, and 7.5 sq. km currently under urgent development—part of a total zone area of 388 sq. km.

Al Zadjali added that the zone will focus on clean energy industries, serve as a logistics complex with a land port, and offer integrated residential and service facilities to support workforce well-being and environmental sustainability.

He pointed out that the region aims, in the medium and long term, to become a hub for advanced industrial sectors, with a focus on clean energy as a primary source of development. The region will also serve as a logistics complex, including a land port, and will include a residential area that prioritizes the environment and community health by providing amenities, modern living, and all other services and facilities for the region’s workers and residents.

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