logo
Tender Board celebrates graduation of 126 engineers

Tender Board celebrates graduation of 126 engineers

Times of Oman23-02-2025
Muscat: The Secretariat General of the Tender Board on Sunday celebrated the graduation of 126 engineers as part of "Imkan 2" programme for managing government projects and contracts, representing 20 government institutions.
The ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr. Mahad Said Ba'owain, Minister of Labour.
The 6-month training programme, aimed to hone the skills of personnel operating under government projects and contracts, included workshops and field visits to government projects that contributed to enhancing the efficiency of engineers. It also helped improve the management of projects under construction in a manner that meets the goals set by the Secretariat General of the Tender Board, notably the objective of raising the percentage of local content in government projects.
'Imkan 2' programme, which capped up the accomplishments of 'Imkan 1' programme, helped develop a database and a functional system in all departments of government institutions in the field of projects, contracts and tenders.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UK economy slows less than feared after tariffs
UK economy slows less than feared after tariffs

Observer

time3 days ago

  • Observer

UK economy slows less than feared after tariffs

LONDON: Britain's economy performed better than expected in the second quarter as it weathered the impact of US tariffs and a higher UK business tax, official data showed on Thursday. Gross domestic product grew 0.3 per cent in the April-June period, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement — beating analyst forecasts of 0.1-per cent growth after reaching 0.7 percent in the first quarter. "Today's economic figures are positive with a strong start to the year and continued growth in the second quarter," said finance minister Rachel Reeves. "But there is more to do to deliver an economy that works for working people," she added in a statement, following a difficult first year in power for the Labour government as the economy struggles to grow significantly. ONS data on Thursday showed that growth to UK construction and services in the second quarter helped to offset a drop in production. "Growth was led by services, with computer programming, health and vehicle leasing growing," noted Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics. Overall GDP grew 0.4 per cent in June after contracting slightly in April and May, the statistics office added. June's figure "will be welcome news for the government, which has had a frustrating time chasing elusive growth", noted Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown. Official data Wednesday showed UK unemployment at a four-year high of 4.7 per cent in the second quarter. This is largely a result of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government increasing a UK business tax from April, the same month that the country became subject to US President Donald Trump's 10-per cent baseline tariff on most goods. However, London and Washington reached an agreement in May to cut levies of more than 10 per cent on certain UK-made items imported by the United States, notably vehicles. "A favourable trade agreement has enabled output to pick up again as June showed growth in all sectors including manufacturing," said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell. Despite the turnaround in June, exports of goods to the United States fell by £700 million ($950 million) in the month to their lowest level since February 2022, the ONS added Thursday. "The value of goods exports to the United States... have remained relatively low since the introduction of tariffs in April," it noted. Citing threats to growth from US tariffs, the Bank of England last week cut its key interest rate by a quarter point to four percent. "The weak global economy will remain a drag on UK GDP growth for a while yet," Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics research group, said following Thursday's data. "The full drag on business investment from April's tax rises has yet to be felt. And the ongoing speculation about further tax rises in the (UK) autumn budget will probably keep consumers in a cautious mood." Streeter added that "evidence of a more resilient economy may mean that the Bank of England policymakers are that bit more reticent about cutting interest rates in the months to come". — AFP

MoL reintegrates over 10,000 Omanis into workforce in 5 years
MoL reintegrates over 10,000 Omanis into workforce in 5 years

Muscat Daily

time4 days ago

  • Muscat Daily

MoL reintegrates over 10,000 Omanis into workforce in 5 years

By OUR CORRESPONDENT Muscat – Ministry of Labour (MoL) has successfully reintegrated more than 10,000 Omanis in over five years who were previously laid off, marking a key achievement in the government's efforts to strengthen the national job market. Ammar Salim al Saadi, Director General of Labour, told Oman TV, 'We have been able to facilitate the return of more than 10,000 citizens to the job market, achieving a significant milestone in the ministry's continuous efforts to reduce unemployment and support economic stability.' Saadi said MoL implemented measures to ensure citizens whose services were terminated did not face additional financial burden. 'Since the launch of the job security system in 2020 till June 2025, 10,387 citizens have been re-employed across government and private sectors,' he added. He informed that in the period between 2020 and mid-2025, the ministry offered over 170,000 job opportunities. While 27,227 people were laid off in this period, 41% were successfully reintegrated. MoL has also launched an electronic system – Al Mu'ama – to assist laid-off individuals in registering and finding suitable job opportunities. Currently, the system lists around 1,500 openings in government and private entities. Last week, the Youth and Human Resources Committee of Majlis A'Shura called for immediate resumption of the job security benefit previously extended to laid-off workers, citing significant social and economic repercussions of its suspension. The committee examined the impact of freezing the benefit disbursed by Social Protection Fund. Members raised concern about the worsening living conditions of those affected and emphasised the need to resume the aid to ensure psychological and social stability for impacted individuals and their families. The committee urged relevant authorities to take immediate steps, including empowering governorates and promoting decentralised decision-making in employment and redundancy matters. Members noted that such an approach would facilitate faster, locally-tailored solutions aligned with the specific needs of each governorate. There was strong emphasis on the need to create job opportunities based on qualifications and professional experience of laid-off workers, alongside implementation of requalification and skills development programmes to support their reintegration into the labour market. The committee also called for building a comprehensive and regularly updated database of jobseekers and laid-off individuals to better inform national employment policies and future strategies.

IMF changes tune on global growth as tariffs ease
IMF changes tune on global growth as tariffs ease

Observer

time10-08-2025

  • Observer

IMF changes tune on global growth as tariffs ease

The world economy will not suffer as badly from President Trump's tariffs as previously thought, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted. Global growth is set to be three per cent this year, the IMF said, which is higher than its previous 2.8 per cent forecast made in April. The world economy will grow by a further 3.1 per cent in 2026, which is also slightly higher than its three per cent growth forecast made earlier this year. Economists at the UN agency said it upgraded its growth forecast due to 'front-loading' before Trump's Liberation Day, where businesses and customers imported goods before tax increases came into effect. But they warned that this burst of activity risked creating 'exposures' that could leave firms vulnerable from having too much stock or holding on to additional costs. The lower-than-expected average tariff rate and improvements in financial markets are also set to benefit the world economy, allowing forecasts to be revised. Deals struck between Trump and his counterparts in China and the EU, which agreed to invest hundreds of billions in US oil in exchange for a reduction in tariffs to 15 per cent , have reflected easing trade war tensions since April. The IMF said tariffs remained a threat given looming deadlines on the expiry of additional tariffs could hamstring activity and unnerve business owners. Despite Donald Trump's trade deal with the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, to limit tariffs on carmakers and wipe out taxes on aerospace manufacturers, the IMF did not upgrade its growth forecast for the UK. The major forecaster said in April it expected UK GDP to inch up 1.2 per cent this year and 1.4 per cent next year. A general view of stacked shipping containers at Peel Ports Liverpool docks in Liverpool, Britain. Image for illustration only. — Reuters Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: 'The IMF's forecasts show that the UK remains the fastest growing European economy in the G7 despite the global economic challenges we are facing. 'I am determined to unlock Britain's full potential, which is why we are investing billions of pounds through our Plan for Change – in jobs through better city region transport, record funding for affordable homes, as well as backing major projects like Sizewell C to drive economic growth and put more money into people's pockets.' Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride said: 'Labour promised growth but the IMF has confirmed what Britain already knows: under Labour, growth is going nowhere.' The US economy received a larger upgrade to its growth forecast for 2026, with its economy now set to expand by two per cent next year. IMF officials also emphasised the importance of the independence of central banks in what appeared to be a comment aimed to address Trump's attack on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. Meanwhile, top business executives are set to receive briefings from the Foreign Office on global risks including conflicts and trade tensions as part of a wider strategy to help UK firms expand overseas. Representatives, of Lloyds Bank, PwC and Premier League are among those attending a first-of-its-kind event at Lancaster House where leading diplomats are set to provide advice on doing business in countries across the world. The government's new advisory service, which has been titled the Geopolitical Impact Unit, has been created to give firms 'straight from the source' insight on global tensions and expanding abroad, tying up the government's growth mission with foreign policy amid 'turbulent geopolitical times.' Officials also hope it can replace 'expensive' private consultants, allowing companies to spend less on mitigating costs of risks. Chief diplomat, UK foreign minister, David Lammy said the initiative can help provide businesses with expertise on new areas of interest to the UK and link up business leaders across the world. 'We are helping to equip British business with the insights and contacts they need to compete and win in global markets,' Lammy said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store