IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Oman’s ambitious urban vision is taking shape, spearheaded by a dynamic blueprint unveiled by Dr Khalfan bin Said al Shueili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning. At the recent media briefing titled “Oman and the World,” the minister outlined a transformative agenda aimed at positioning the country as a premier investment destination and a pioneer of sustainable urban living. This strategic push aligns with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, setting the stage for cutting-edge urban developments and thriving communities.

Central to Oman’s urban strategy is the empowerment of investors and real estate developers through streamlined regulations and collaborative frameworks. Dr Al Shueili underscored the Ministry’s commitment to fostering partnerships between government entities, private investors, and stakeholders—a synergy seen as the backbone of Oman’s urban renaissance.

Oman has unveiled ambitious plans for a new 100,000-person “smart” city outside its capital, Muscat.

Set across 14.8 square kilometers (5.7 square miles), Sultan Haitham City will be roughly equivalent in size to Beverly Hills — but with almost three times as many residents.

The plan, which was shared exclusively with CNN by the US architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), includes 20,000 homes, as well as a university, schools, health facilities and mosques. It is due to be built on a largely undeveloped site in Al-Seeb, several kilometers west of Muscat.

The GCC e-awards, which features nine categories, subjects applicants for the awards to rigorous reviews by a jury committee, comprised of a number of e-government experts and specialists.

There is great potential for further cooperation between Oman and Singapore in e-government services, given the challenges that the two countries are facing in this area, according to senior Omani and Singaporean information technology officials.

The Omani authorities have made a significant push in recent years to improve their e-government offering, including the creation of an internet portal for government services and, most recently, the inauguration of the Sultanate's first cyber centre. The latter facility, based in the capital, Muscat, and known as the Oman National Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT), was opened earlier in April to provide the Sultanate with enhanced security for its information assets, as well as coordinating emergency responses to incidents relating to the internet.

Badr Al Samaa is one of the largest hospital groups in the region, and the telemedicine centre is the first of its kind in the country’s private sector.

“We are the first private sector hospital to instal a telemedicine centre in the Sultanate. The new system is the integration of video, audio and peripheral to enable two or more doctors to communicate simultaneously over telecommunication lines. Video conferencing will transmit synchronised images and verbal communication between two or more in lieu of them being in the same room,” members of the board of directors of the hospital said here yesterday.

Reflecting its instant appeal, Jawad Sultan Enterprises was the first corporate to acquire the card. "The e-Cash card is another step toward achieving the government's vision of promoting card as the mode of payment. With the introduction of e-Cash, the payment landscape significantly changes for corporates in Oman. Ushering in convenience, the new card streamlines payment and improves the delivery of government services", Sulaiman al Harthy, Group Deputy General Manager, Consumer Banking, BankMuscat, said.

BankMuscat recently signed an agreement with the Ministry of Justice to introduce electronic card payment facility for judicial services rendered at courts and notary public offices across Oman.

The internet, ever since its introduction to the country in January 1997, has been capturing the interest and imagination of Omanis, both young and old.

Despite the paucity of personal computers and the costs involved in getting net connection, the virtual world has caught on here like never before and Omanis are fast bridging the digital divide.

As the lead issuer and acquirer of cards in Oman, BankMuscat has taken upon itself the task of accelerating the development of the e-payment network in Oman and in opening up electronic banking channels. E-payment is now accepted at all Royal Oman Police (ROP) directorates. In fact, it is understood that the ROP aims to gradually eliminate all cash dealings.

Earlier, a film on Information Technology Authority, which endeavours to consolidate and implement the Digital Oman strategy to transform the Sultanate of Oman into a knowledge-based economy for the achievement of social and economic benefits to Omani society, was screened. Salim Al Ruzaiqi, CEO of ITA, averred that the launch of ePayment has ushered in a new era of making electronic transaction easier by launching a secure and safe payment gateway.

Speaking at a press conference Saturday, ITA CEO Dr Salim Bin Sultan Al Ruzaiqi, said the conference will provide a platform for closer cooperation and coordinated strategic policymaking to ensure the benefits of eGovernment are felt across the GCC region.