Muscat – The Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology on Sunday held a meeting of the leaders from government digital transformation teams and experts from the information and communication technology sector to assess the sultanate’s journey towards digitalisation so far.

This is the second meeting of this nature that drew over 120 government employees, besides several experts from relevant fields. Over two days, the congregation will focus on assessing the strides made under the National Digital Economy Programme and the actionable strategies of the Government Digital Transformation Programme adopted for the period between 2021 and 2025.

The objective of this meeting is to harmonise the efforts of various government entities for streamlining the digital transformation journey through shared insights and consolidated efforts to realise Oman Vision 2040.

“This vision is dedicated to cultivating a dynamic and innovative governmental landscape, expediting the digital transformation initiatives,” the organisers said. The meeting provides a forum for addressing the hurdles encountered by institutions in the midst of digital change, and deliberate on tangible solutions to circumvent project implementation issues within this domain, they added.

The highlight of the first day was the Ministry of Interior’s presentation on its digital experience in executing the Majlis A’Shura elections via the ‘Intakhib’ application – a significant milestone in Oman’s electoral process.

Additionally, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority reviewed its experiences with the ‘Nafath’ platform.

Since its launch in February 2022, Nafath has served as a virtual incubator, drawing in Omani professionals skilled in technical areas, telecommunications and postal services. It aspires to enhance the domestic value of these sectors and embarked on some initiatives such as contract project provisions, compilation of databases of local companies and expertise, and facilitation of training endeavours.

Nafath seeks to open avenues for additional income, foster competition and transparency, and enable access to projects within its targeted domains.

Key topics discussed at the meeting included future objectives within the Government Digital Transformation Programme, effective management of budgets in digital projects across government units, and central and collaborative initiatives.