Monday 02 / February / 2026
Samail: The 3rd Samail Economic Forum began today in the Wilayat of Samail, Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, under the theme "The Role of Local Content in Enhancing Economic Diversification and Job Creation."
The event features participation from various government and private entities, entrepreneurs, and local and international investors, as part of the growing economic momentum in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate and its role in attracting specialised developmental initiatives that support the national and local economies.
The opening of the forum was held under the auspices of Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ).
Mohammed Khamis Al Hosni, Member of the Shura Council, Representative of the Wilayat of Samail, and Chairman of the Forum’s Organising Committee, delivered a speech in which he noted that this forum is characterised by renewal and diversity, with guests participating from various countries around the world, which will assist in bolstering the national economy through innovative projects.
He added that the forum focuses on local content as a strategic pillar for sustainable development, aiming to increase the proportion of national components in industries, enhance human resources, and support national supply chains to reduce dependency on imports.
The forum, held at the Samail Industrial City (Madayn), seeks to support national industry and enhance local supply chains by linking local content to procurement, employment, and training policies. It further aims to enable small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enter production value chains, thereby enhancing In-Country Value and contributing to the creation of quality job opportunities for national cadres.
Over the course of three days, the forum discusses several vital themes through specialised dialogue sessions. The first day was dedicated to the theme of local procurement and services, featuring a dialogue session that discussed the role of government and private institutions in promoting local content through local purchasing policies. It also reviewed legislative and regulatory frameworks, mechanisms for integrating local content into government projects, operational challenges, and successful national models in localising procurement and qualifying local suppliers.
The Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones and chief gust of the occasion, inaugurated the industrial exhibition, which will run throughout the forum.
The exhibition showcases industrial products from national establishments and entrepreneurs, alongside the "Investment Opportunities Hub," which allows for the presentation of projects and investment opportunities to investors and decision-makers.
Additionally, the "First Samail Hackathon" was launched, reflecting the forum's direction toward integrating innovation into local economic development paths.
On its second day, the forum will address the theme of empowering national human resources. Sessions will discuss the link between local content and employment and training policies, addressing the gap between educational outcomes and labor market needs, and highlighting the role of industrial institutions in sustainable Omanization and career path development.
Furthermore, distinguished industrial institutions in the empowerment of national cadres within the Al Dakhiliyah Governorate will be honored.
The forum will conclude on its third day with the theme of investment promotion and empowerment. A session will review investment opportunities based on local content, enhance integration between local and foreign investment, and examine the role of knowledge and technology transfer in localizing industries and linking them to local value chains. The third day will also feature the announcement of the results of the "First Samail Hackathon," which focuses on providing applicable innovative solutions in the fields of sustainability, tourism, and local development, followed by the presentation of the forum's final recommendations.
The Samail Economic Forum serves as a dialogue platform that contributes to strengthening the partnership between the public and private sectors, stimulating productive investment, and supporting the local content ecosystem.
It aims to produce practical and applicable recommendations that support economic diversification paths, enhance the direct developmental impact on Al Dakhiliyah Governorate and its wilayats, and consolidate its role as an active hub in achieving sustainable economic development in the Sultanate of Oman.
The organisation of the forum aligns with the governorate's direction to utilize the economic components of its wilayats and enhance their roles as centers for economic dialogue and opportunity creation, contributing to the alignment of national policies with local development needs and maximising the benefit from local content as a cornerstone of economic diversification and sustainability, in harmony with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
