The Middle East

Industrial zones, port developments, railways and fisheries projects are but a few examples of how investments are transforming Oman’s outlying regions. Such projects involve both public and private sectors, and many are large-scale. Big developments outside Muscat, which make up the largest chunk of investments, both domestic and foreign, are...

As more investment and technology has found its way to Oman’s shores, the fishing industry has seen increasing productivity. In the eighth five-year development plan (2011-15), Oman is expected to spend $259m on fisheries development, and $1.3bn in the 2013-20 period. As the country contends with the difficulties of economic diversification,...

The Oman National Railway Project proposes to link the sultanate’s commercial centres to its main maritime gateways, from Sohar to Salalah, and open up new land corridors. Further plans to connect this system to the GCC rail network would link Salalah, Oman’s biggest trans-shipment hub, directly to Kuwait City, providing a land route for freight...

One of the largest planned construction investment in the country is Oman’s national railway, estimated at $15bn. The government, funding the project with support from other GCC states, hopes that it will be a catalyst for economic diversification and underpin the long-term growth of sectors like manufacturing and logistics. The railway will link the major ports and...