OPAZ is proceeding with its digital transformation plan

Muscat - May 21, 2023

The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) is proceeding with its strategic plan for the digital transformation programme, including setting June 30th, 2023 as the last day for receiving and sending paper-based transactions, except for some special government correspondence. This reflects OPAZ efforts and initiatives to make the most of the modern technologies, and to achieve a major objective of Oman Vision 2040 towards digital transformation in government transactions and services provided to investors and beneficiaries.

Mahmood bin Hamoud Al Rawahi, General Manager of Planning and Information Technology at the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, stressed on OPAZ commitment and endeavour towards implementing the strategic directions of the National Programme for Digital Transformation, adopting digital best practices and benefiting from modern technology in order to improve and increase the efficiency of the provided government services. Thus, OPAZ has set June 30, as the last day for receiving and sending paper-based transactions, except for some special government correspondence.

Al Rawahi said, “OPAZ strives to simplify the procedures for investor services and re-engineered all licenses, permits and approvals necessary to operate any investment project. It also participated in "Manajm" laboratories to simplify the procedures of government services supervised by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, which had an impact on raising the level of quality of services provided to investors”.

“OPAZ is going on to develop the centralised platform for investor services in all the zones affiliated to OPAZ. This platform will provide all services online in the economic zones, free zones and industrial cities, considering the integration between this platform and other national platforms related to the services provided by government bodies. OPAZ held several meetings with the concerned government parties to ensure full integration with its digital platforms, reflecting the national strategic directions to maximise the use of the infrastructure available to these entities”, he stated.

He further added, “OPAZ will soon announce launching the first version of "Etlizam" system, which is one of the electronic applications that assists the different concerned departments to perform their regulatory role in an interactive manner with companies. The main purpose of the supervisory work of OPAZ is to bring an added value represented in improving the performance and efficiency of the projects that are supervised by OPAZ with regards to its compliance with the relevant legislations. Moreover, it serves verifying its understanding of the proper application of these legislations, while guiding these entities with constructive feedback and recommendations that could enhance its future commitment”.

Al Rawahi remarked that OPAZ plan for the digital transformation programme includes change management and creating a digital corporate culture that is characterised by achieving quality, speed, transparency and innovation while enabling employees to use the best technologies, automating services in an integrated manner to guarantee expediting completion of transactions and enhancing communication with beneficiaries.

It is worth noting that the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) accords high attention to employing modern technologies through several initiatives, some of which are the remote monitoring of network control rooms using Internet of Things technologies, land allocation service, and issuing the cadastral drawing electronically to investors in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm to facilitate the procedures for investors, reduce effort and time, and achieve transparency and fairness for all investors in the Zone.