Duqm: The administration of the Special Economic Zone in Duqm (SEZAD) said that work is underway to develop 40 percent of the masterplan for the SEZAD through the localization and establishment of many strategic projects, namely the Port of Duqm, the dry dock, the fishing port, the Duqm Refinery, and other basic projects such as roads, stations for electricity, water and gas and projects for clean energy and green hydrogen. SEZAD is one of the largest special economic zones in the Middle East and North Africa. It was established in 2011 and extends over an area of 2,000 square kilometers. It enjoys features that make it one of the main investment zones at the regional and global levels. SEZAD receives interest from many international companies that find in Duqm a unique location for their investments. The zone is distinguished by its ability to embrace various projects, whether in the industrial sector or other sectors such as tourism, trade, logistics services, and real estate development, in addition to its ability to provide the spaces that investors need to build their projects of all kinds. Eng. Abdullah Salim Al Hakamani, Director of the Technical Affairs Department in the SEZAD, said ‘The cumulative volume of government and private investment in the zone has reached about RO 4.2 billion in the SEZAD infrastructure and in other economic projects. He pointed out that there is a turnout and demand for investment in the zone designated for heavy industries coinciding with the operation of the Duqm Refinery project, which forms a nucleus for other downstream industries by converting crude oil into downstream derivatives such as diesel, naphtha, gas, methane, and others. He explained that the total length of the roads currently being implemented in the zone is about 120 kilometers, in addition to about 150 kilometers that were implemented during the last period, which varied between main, secondary, and service roads. He added that the zone has been connected to the national electricity grid that supplies the entire Sultanate of Oman with a capacity of 400 kilovolts, accommodating all mega projects. This constitutes a fundamental incentive for investors wishing to invest in the zone, especially large projects whose operation require high electrical energy and a water station with a capacity of 36,000 cubic meters per day, in addition to a water station. He further said that another electricity generation is also established for the Duqm Refinery and Ras Markaz tank project with a capacity of 326 megawatts, in addition to the presence of a gas station that accommodates 25 million cubic meters of gas, which was linked to the Saih Nahidah station via 220 km long pipelines, which in turn constitutes another incentive to encourage investors of large projects that require has operations. All these features make SEZAD among the best investment destinations. He stated that the zone carried out many works related to expanding the green area, afforestation operations, and infrastructure for recreational projects, in addition to establishing a public park. He explained that the completion rate of afforestation projects in the first phase in the zone reached about 100 percent. Al Hakamani affirmed that the SEZAD was interested in implementing entertainment projects that contribute to attracting visitors and residents in the zone, including a multi-use entertainment commercial project that will be established near the tourist area, and the establishment of a Friday market in the village of Dhahr in the Wilayat of Duqm. He explained that about RO 5 million have been allocated for these projects. He pointed that the zone has adopted a policy related to social responsibility, which was to allocate 10 percent of the purchases of projects and businesses that take place in the SEZAD to small and medium enterprises. These projects will contribute to providing the basic services and facilities that the local community needs. Al Hakamani affirmed that these projects have contributed to generating many job opportunities for citizens of the Wilayat of Duqm and Al Wusta Governorate in general, in addition to organizing training and qualification programs for graduates from the citizens of Duqm as well as various programs and initiatives designed to create a real partnership with the community and involve it in the development process taking place in the zone.
Source: Oman News Agency
