Together We Progress Forum gives citizens a platform to voice their opinions and concerns

Muscat – H H Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, inaugurated the ‘Together We Progress Forum’ on Wednesday, organised by Secretariat General of Council of Ministers. The two-day forum aims to enhance communication between the government and society, review development programmes, and give citizens a platform to voice their opinions and concerns.

The event featured two discussion sessions on the first day focused on the economy and development, addressing the upcoming Five-Year Plan, economic diversification and the role of investments in the national economy. Five additional dialogue sessions will cover topics such as governorates’ development; the future of professions; the retirement system; culture, sports and youth; and the future of economic diversification sectors.

A key highlight of the forum on Wednesday was launch of three national digital platforms aimed at enhancing the quality of government services and improving accessibility.

The Tajawub platform is for citizens to submit suggestions, complaints and reports to improve government services; the National System for Planning, Evaluation and Performance Follow-up integrates government agencies to streamline planning, evaluation and monitoring of national goals; and the Unified National Portal for Electronic Services provides access to all government digital services, reducing the need for in-person visits to government offices.

Sheikh al Fadhl bin Mohammed al Harthy, Secretary General of Council of Ministers, confirmed that the forum topics were selected through broad community engagement, with over 19,000 citizens participating. Over 7,500 citizens registered online to attend the forum sessions.

H E Saeed al Saqri, Minister of Economy, highlighted the impressive growth of the Omani economy, driven by non-oil sectors. He noted that the financial balance plan has bolstered confidence in Oman’s investment climate, with foreign direct investments expected to reach RO26bn by the end of 2024.

H E Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to maintaining production capacity in the oil and gas sectors, with operating costs between US$9-$10 per barrel. He also informed that 32% of electricity consumed in Oman is now sourced from renewable energy.

H E Saeed bin Hamood al Mawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, stated that the digital economy currently contributes 2% to Oman’s GDP, which is expected to increase to 10% by 2040.

H E Dr Khalfan al Shuaili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, projected Sultan Haitham City would accommodate 500 Omani families by 2026-2027. Plans are also in place for a similar city in Dhofar covering 7mn sqm.

Halima bint Rashid al Zaria, Chairperson of Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, noted that SMEs contribute nearly RO9bn to the GDP.