Value of work assigned to SMEs in Duqm reaches More than RO 74 million

More than RO 74 million value of work assigned to SMEs in Duqm

Muscat: Since its establishment, the Special Economic Zone at Duqm has been supporting small and medium enterprises by committing to allocating 10 percent when assigning projects to companies wishing to invest in the zone.

Talal bin Saeed Al-Bartmani, a small and medium enterprise specialist at the Special Economic Zone in Duqm, explained that the zone offers a 50 percent reduction in the fees for all services provided to small and medium enterprises in the region.

He told the Oman News Agency that reducing fees for registration services in the commercial registry and licenses to practice some economic activities for those wishing to launch small and medium projects included more than 130 activities in the Special Economic Zone in Duqm.

He added that the number of small and medium enterprises registered in the Duqm Special Economic Zone reached about 981 small and medium enterprises by the end of 2023, noting that the total value of the business assigned to these enterprises by companies operating in the region from 2016 until 2023 amounted to RO 74.5 million, of which RO 6.7 million in 2023.

Salem bin Ali Al Shehri, Director of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Department in Al Wusta Governorate, said that the Authority is making great efforts to support entrepreneurs in the governorate by providing specialized training programs for the pre-financing stage, including the “Entrepreneur Readiness” program, training courses in economic feasibility studies, and training programs. Craftsmanship to qualify workers in the traditional crafts sector.

He added that the Authority is working to activate the aspect related to local added value by searching for business opportunities with government institutions, institutions and companies affiliated with the Oman Investment Authority, noting that there are two business incubators in the Al Wusta Governorate; The first, “Sharaaa Al-Duqm Incubator,” includes 10 incubated companies, and another incubator in the Dry Dock in Duqm includes 3 small and medium enterprises.

Abdul Rahim bin Zayed Al Junaibi, Director of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry branch in Al Wusta Governorate, stressed that the branch seeks to promote business growth and motivate entrepreneurs to establish and grow their own companies through programs and initiatives that will advance small and medium enterprise projects.

He said that the branch of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Al Wusta Governorate provides, through its office in the one-stop shop in the Duqm Special Economic Zone, all services and facilities to entrepreneurs and investors.

Mazen bin Saad Al-Junaibi (owner of a tourism project in Duqm) explained that the Special Economic Zone at Duqm provides support to small and medium enterprises through facilities and incentives, introducing companies operating in the region to the products and services provided by those institutions, and linking them to all tenders and projects presented by companies operating in the region.

Meanwhile, Mahra Bint Mohsen Al Janabiyah, Founder and Executive Director of Al Asdaa International Trading Corporation, confirmed that the facilitation of procedures and flexible dealing with small and medium enterprises provided by the Duqm Special Economic Zone has provided the means for the success and growth of the projects of entrepreneurs and those institutions.