OMAN - Economy
Chairman, Public Authority for Special Economic Zones & Free Zones (OPAZ)
Bio
Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy is Chairman of the
Public Authority for Special Economic
Zones & Free Zones (OPAZ).
Since its establishment in 2020, OPAZ has been dedicated to providing all necessary support for investors to create an optimal investment environment, and aligning with its vision to make the zones under its supervision the best destination of choice. Today, investors have a choice to be based in any of the 14 special economic zones, free zones and industrial cities under OPAZ with a huge land bank of nearly 2,300sqkm spread across the Sultanate of Oman. Generous incentives are available by law depending on the nature of the zone. Sohar, Salalah, and Duqm are coupled with state-of-the-art ports while Al-Mazyunah and Khazaen have dry ports to facilitate international shipping. Almost all zones are in close proximity to international or local airports, connected to the national power grid and the main gas pipeline. Eight more zones are under development or design. OPAZ has focused on identifying the value proposition and relative advantages of each region to facilitate investor decision-making based on their desired projects and the available benefits in each zone. Simultaneously, various clusters have emerged in these zones such as renewable energy, green industries, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and car manufacturing and assembly. OPAZ has also worked on streamlining the investor journey by activating a single one-stop shop backed up by advanced digital platforms.
SEZAD is a massive 2,000-sqkm investment zone, offering a diversified environment for all businesses. This zone caters to industries, commerce, tourism, real estate development, and logistics, attracting investors from across the globe. The government has already invested OMR2.5 billion in infrastructure, to build Duqm Airport, the Port of Duqm, the Fishery Port, a high-standard road network, surface water drainage systems and other utilities. In 2023, SEZAD completed and handed over four cutting-edge container cranes, further enhancing the Port of Duqm capabilities. These technologically advanced cranes boast high speed, smart handling, and remote-control features. Internal connectivity is well planned. A network of single and dual carriageway roads links different investment zones with Duqm. Additionally, a new dual carriageway is under construction, connecting the city center to the Ras Markaz crude oil storage area, roughly 80km away. Now, the focus is on making SEZAD greener by planting thousands of trees and expanding green areas. Also, a tender was floated to design and build vibrant recreational districts to improve the quality of life, and we will see investment in more green areas, internal roads, and other facilities.
OPAZ is a key partner in Oman’s green energy initiatives. In 2022 and 2023, two deals were signed at Duqm with international green hydrogen producers, one of which has started mobilization on site. Two more deals were signed with green steel and low-carbon steel producers, and one has started construction. One more iron steel manufacturer is undergoing detailed discussions for site identification and gas allocation. Additionally, SEZAD is conducting feasibility studies and planning energy transfer corridors to accommodate for other green hydrogen projects outside and inside the zone so that they can export their products either from the port of Duqm facilities or other sea site locations in the zone. This is to ensure optimal utilization and avoid overlap with existing projects. There will be great new opportunities created by these megaprojects. We invite international companies to invest in downstream projects as well as the production of windmills and solar panels to cater for these great opportunities in the supply chain. There will be similar opportunities related to green energy and green products in other areas like Salalah Free Zone, Sohar Free Zone, and Thumrait Industrial City (under development).
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