Governments and private sector institutions in the world show great importance for partnerships between the two sectors according to the Public Private Partnership (PPP) approach. Such partnership between the two sides will achieve the purpose of providing a project or service a success in the future and serve a lot of citizens.
Since the early seventies of the last century, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has practiced the “partnership” policy between the government and the private sector in projects implemented in the housing sector, as Qaboos City is a witness to this partnership, which is considered the first of its kind between the two sectors. Over the past decades, this relationship has increased in the establishment of many vital projects that include the health, education, services, airports, and other sectors.
So, Oman’s experience with the private sector is not new today, but dates to the dawn of the blessed renaissance in the seventies of the last century, at a time when the government, over the past years, supported electricity and water production projects, port management, communications, housing projects, and others.
This cooperation has been continuing between the two sectors since that time through many activities and forums that talk about the importance of partnership and competitiveness in the private sector as they aim to establish projects that have future importance to the nation and citizens.
Such partnerships aim to implement projects concerned with strengthening the infrastructure that communities need in the field of establishing, building, equipping and managing schools, hospitals, transportation systems, water and sanitation systems, and other vital projects.
Partnership in this regard can increase the quality, efficiency, and competitiveness of public services, in addition to strengthening and complementing the limited capabilities of the public sector to raise additional financing for proposed projects and working to make optimal use of the operational efficiencies of the private sector.
Participatory projects confirm the government's interest in working with the private sector, and its full confidence in the capabilities of this sector to take the initiative to lead economic diversification efforts and enhance the competitiveness of the Omani economy.
It is expected that partnership programmes between the public and private sectors in the next phase will result in achieving sustainable development goals by encouraging private sector investments, benefiting from its expertise and specialised capabilities in establishing, financing, and improving the quality of services in addition to creating new job opportunities in the market for Omanis graduating from private and foreign universities.
Recently, the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised the “Partnership and Integration” programme, attended by several ministers concerned with trade, economics, finance, and labour. The work programme aimed to complement the Chamber’s role in resolving the challenges facing the Omani private sector, raising the level of performance, and keeping pace with its aspirations considering the objectives of the “Oman 2040” vision, towards a dynamic, effective, and proactive private sector.
The presentation made by the Chairman of the Chamber highlighted the participatory paths with the government, with its legislative and executive arms, and creating a favourable climate to achieve integration between the two sectors and adopt sustainable solutions that strengthen the national economic system. These issues require strengthening the pivotal role of the private sector in stimulating the comprehensive development process and moving towards competitiveness.
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