Partnership and Development Forum discusses opportunities to enhance ICV, CSR and SMEs

Muscat - January 31, 2023

The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) organised today (January 31) the Partnership and Development Forum, with the participation of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD), the free zones in Sohar, Salalah, Al Mazunah and the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn). A number of employees and specialists from various directorates and departments concerned with the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) development, and the In-Country Value (ICV) in OPAZ and its affiliated zones took part in the event.

During the forum, participants touched on the constant efforts made by OPAZ, since its inception, to serve the community, enhance ICV, and support SMEs through a range of various sustainable initiatives and projects. Similarly, the participating zones, affiliated with OPAZ, also highlighted their initiatives and endeavours in these aspects that support their policies towards promoting CSR and supporting local companies and startups in their various economic, social and other activities.

On the other hand, the participants shed light to their strategic plans, objectives and proposed initiatives for the partnership and development departments as part of the annual plans of OPAZ and the zones. They discussed ways of improving social investments while seeking innovative business opportunities for SMEs operating in the zones. This reflected the Forum’s objective of exchanging expertise, enhancing cooperation and benefiting from the previous experiences of their departments in developing business plans for partnership and community development activities for the year 2023.  

Further, the one-day Forum also included conducting discussion sessions and brainstorming workshops to discuss various examples of CSR initiatives and SMEs development projects, including offering incubators and finding business opportunities for them in the companies operating in the different zones. Therefore, the sessions served introducing the key challenges that employees may come across and the potential innovative solutions to overcome the obstacles.