Monday 05 / October / 2026
Muscat: The activities of the Home, and Building Expo and the World Habitat Day 2026, commenced today at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre as part of the "Urban October" events organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
The opening ceremony of the 4-day events, witnessed the signing of 20 partnership, development, and tender award agreements for residential, service, and tourism projects across a number of developments, with the total investment value of the signed projects exceeding RO 1 billion.
These include three agreements in Sultan Haitham City, three in A’Thuraya City, eight agreements within the "Sorouh" residential neighborhood and layout projects, a development agreement in Khazaen Economic City, three development agreements for an integrated tourism complex between the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group), Qurm Stone Development Company, and Al Bandar Development Company, two agreements in the Kumzar residential plan with Detonator Engineering Company, and an Omani-Turkish memorandum of understanding.
The opening ceremony, held under the auspices of Sheikh Abdulmalik Abdullah Al Khalili, Chairman of the State Council, included the celebration of World Habitat Day under the theme "Adequate Housing for All", with the participation of Anacláudia Rossbach, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), alongside officials and specialists in housing and urban planning from a number of countries.
The exhibition and conference bring together developers, investors, experts, and decision-makers to discuss providing adequate housing, developing fast-growing cities, and building integrated communities that respond to the needs of various segments, alongside reviewing projects and investment opportunities, and exchanging international experiences in urban development.
The opening ceremony witnessed the presentation ceremony of the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, and the signing of development agreements and tender awards, followed by the opening of the exhibition and a tour of its pavilions to view the displayed projects and services.
In Sultan Haitham City projects, a tender was awarded for executing the construction work of the Rehabilitation Complex for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly Care Home building, with an investment value exceeding RO 12 million, on a land area of 10,300 square meters and a built-up area of 28,000 square meters.
Additionally, a tender was awarded for Package No. 22 works to divert the wadi course in Sultan Haitham City along the eastern border of Al Baraka Palace, with an investment value exceeding RO 14 million, alongside signing a community contribution agreement with Aflaj Group to execute a sports and health trail in the city.
In A’Thuraya City, a tender for consultancy services to prepare the detailed master plan for Phase Three was awarded to "BIG" company, which won the international competition for designing this phase, with a value of RO 4.5 million.
Furthermore, a partnership and development agreement was signed with "Zawaya Group" for Neighborhood No. "5C", with an investment value of RO 45 million. The project comprises 220 residential units on a land area of 72,398 square meters and a built-up area of 49,870 square meters.
A partnership and development agreement was also signed with Al Namaa Real Estate Company for Neighborhoods "5A" and "5B" in A’Thuraya City, with an investment value of RO 55 million, totaling 265 residential units, on a land area of 105,406 square meters and a built-up area of 65,766 square meters.
In Musandam Governorate, two tenders for the construction of a government school and a health center in the Kumzar residential plan were awarded to Detonator Engineering Company, with a total investment value of RO 5 million.
In addition, an agreement was signed with Mada Group to develop an integrated residential neighborhood in Khazaen Economic City, with an investment value of RO 50 million.
In integrated tourism projects, an agreement was signed with Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) to develop the Sultan Qaboos Port Waterfront project, a development agreement was signed with Al Bandar Development Company for the Al Bandar project, and a usufruct contract and development agreement were signed for the "Yenkit Hills" project, one of the integrated tourism complex projects.
In the "Sorouh" integrated residential neighborhood and layout projects, eight agreements were signed to develop residential projects across a number of governorates in the Sultanate of Oman, with a total investment value of RO 186,636,325.4, providing 2,443 residential units over a total area of 1,741,290 square meters.
The agreements included the development of a project in Al Seeh Al Ahmar in the Wilayat of Bidbid, with an investment value of RO 20,862,598, over an area of 191,169 square meters, comprising 355 residential units.
An agreement was also signed to develop a project in Wehi Al Murr in the Wilayat of Bahla, with an investment value of RO 13,315,943, over an area of 151,600 square meters, comprising 175 residential units.
Likewise, an agreement was signed to develop a project in Raddat Al Busaid in the Wilayat of Nizwa, with an investment value of RO 28,825,842, over an area of 194,296 square meters, comprising 214 residential units.
A development agreement was signed for a project in Al Khadra Al Jadeeda in the Wilayat of Al Buraimi, with an investment value of RO 12,035,302.4, over an area of 58,250 square meters, comprising 97 residential units.
Furthermore, an agreement was signed to develop a project in Hay Al Amjad in the Wilayat of A’Rustaq, with an investment value of RO 2,746,640, over an area of 223,797 square meters, comprising 271 residential units.
The agreements also included signing a development agreement for a project in Hay Al Rifa'a in the Wilayat of Sohar, with an investment value of RO 4,850,000, over an area of 325,869 square meters, comprising 321 residential units.
An agreement was also signed to develop a project in Falaj Al Sham in the Wilayat of Bousher, with an investment value of RO 57 million, over an area of 281,346 square meters, comprising 430 residential units.
Additionally, an agreement was signed to develop a project in the Wilayat of Taqah, with an investment value of RO 47 million, over an area of 314,963 square meters, comprising 580 residential units.
The ceremony concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the field of housing and urban planning between the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Türkiye.
The first day's program included a ministerial session with the participation of officials from the Sultanate of Oman, Arab countries, Türkiye, and Pakistan, and a keynote dialogue titled "Adequate Housing for All". On the second day, the theme "Emerging and Fast-Growing Cities" will be discussed to address transforming urban plans and visions into reality, along with the experiences of UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award winners, as well as covering the development of light rail stations in Muscat and the role of public spaces and urban renewal in city prosperity.
The third day will be dedicated to reviewing the theme "Cities Meeting Everyone's Needs", reviewing the structural master plans for Ibri, Salalah, Muscat, Sur, A’Rustaq, and Nizwa, and discussing spatial integration to enhance productivity, with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Economy, Khazaen Economic City, and the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ), alongside a dialogue on the homeownership and settlement experience in the Sultanate of Oman, and the investment forum "Creating Value in the Homeland".
On the fourth day of the conference, the theme "Housing Beyond Shelter" will be presented through sessions discussing the future of housing in the Sultanate of Oman, designing inclusive environments for all, and building integrated, connected, and livable communities, with the participation of specialists in housing, social development, research, innovation, and urban planning and design.
The exhibition features more than 200 exhibitors, with the participation of 50 countries and over 65 real estate developers, while more than 100 experts in urban planning and over 20 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are participating in the event, allowing visitors to explore development projects, residential options, and homeownership and investment opportunities.
The partnership with UN-Habitat and hosting the World Habitat Day celebration stand out among the key highlights of this edition, alongside combining policy discussions and international experiences with the presentation of projects and contracts related to housing, services, and tourism and urban development.
