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Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Oman: A vision for a sustainable digital future
Digital transformation is a crucial catalyst for a country's development. Its adoption across various sectors enables nations to achieve significant improvements in productivity, efficiency and innovation. The Sultanate of Oman is a country that has made significant strides towards creating a digitally empowered society and economy. Aligning with Oman Vision 2040, the country's digital transformation aims to build a sustainable knowledge society and increase the contribution of the digital economy to its GDP, improve government services and empower the workforce. The country is now poised to unlock new opportunities, enhance efficiency and improve the quality of life for its citizens and residents. Many international agencies have acknowledged and honoured Oman for this transformative journey to modernise its economy and society. In this context is Oman's improvement 2024 ranking in the Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index (GEMS) with a score of 72 per cent, up from 66 per cent in 2023. The report released by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia covers 17 Arab countries and assesses digital government performance across three key dimensions – service availability and development, service uptake and satisfaction, and government outreach and engagement. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates led the index with scores of 96 per cent and 95 per cent, respectively, reflecting strong progress in national digital transformation. The index covers a wide range of sectors, including health, education, transportation, finance, justice, trade, tourism and social affairs. In a recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), 'underpinned by its Vision 2040, Oman has embarked on an ambitious reform agenda aiming at reducing its reliance on hydrocarbons and creating a more sustainable, more inclusive and knowledge-based economy.' Oman Vision 2040 aims to elevate the country's ranking to be among the top 20 countries globally in developing electronic services and improving its global standing in e-government development and ease of doing business indicators. The IMF eLibrary report that took stock of the state of digital transformation in Oman highlights the recent launch of the country's National Digital Economy Programme also known as "Tahweel" that aims to provide a strategic direction for the development of the digital economy and increase its contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from its current level estimated at 2 per cent to 10 per cent by 2040. The Tahweel programme plays a crucial role in enhancing participation and enabling individuals, citizens, residents and private sector institutions to contribute effectively to developing government services by submitting reports, complaints and suggestions. In addition, this programme aims to advance Oman's global ranking in various digital economy indicators identified in Vision 2040, such as the e-government development index and the network readiness index. However, the IMF report suggests that while Oman has progressed well on many aspects of digitalisation, such as Internet penetration and 4G and 5G population coverage, it still needs to deploy additional investments and efforts to match its GCC peers on several other aspects. 'Further efforts are particularly needed to raise Internet connection speed, increase the prevalence of advanced ICT skills among the population, usher in digital innovation and promote e-commerce. The analyses indicate that enhanced digitalisation, can, in turn, engender substantial gains," the report suggests. A report by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology stated that government entities in Oman have made remarkable progress in implementing digital transformation requirements. According to the report, the Tahweel programme has achieved an overall performance rate of 73 per cent by the end of November 2024, a significant increase from 53 per cent in 2023. Government institutions demonstrated an average performance of 77 per cent in meeting digital transformation requirements, while governorates averaged 71 per cent. BLURB Oman is now poised to unlock new opportunities, enhance efficiency and improve the quality of life for its citizens and residents. Many international agencies have acknowledged and honoured Oman for this transformative journey to modernise its economy and society 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
More Than 51,000 students registered at Higher Education Admission Centre
Muscat: As many as 51,027 students were registered in the Higher Education Admission Center (HEAC) at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. The number included 25,706 males and 25,321 females. The figures reflect the number of students who applied to the HEAC until the end of the first stage of registration for students to contest seats in government higher education institutions, internal scholarships, private sector grants, external scholarships and grants from Arab countries for the academic year 2025/2026. The applicants will be given an opportunity to change their study preferences during a 'Choice Modification' period that follows the announcement of results of the General Education Diploma (GED) exams in July 2025. The Higher Education Admission Center announced that the outcome of the first sorting will be made public during the first week of July 2025. These results are based on students' performance in the first semester and their current placing of the programmes of their preference. The aim is to enable the students to amend their choices and make the most appropriate decision in consultation with their parents. The 'Choice Modification' period plays a significant role in a student's admission, because registration during this stage becomes final ahead of the 'First Round Sorting'. This stage is followed by procedures like personal interviews, admission tests and medical tests, in accordance with the requirements of the academic programmes. -ONA
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt's garment exports surge 22% to surpass $1bln in 4M 2025
Egypt's ready-made garment (RMG) exports soared by 22% during the first four months of 2025, reaching $1.028bn compared to $840m during the same period in 2024, according to the latest report by the Apparel Export Council of Egypt (AECE). The council's data showed a strong monthly performance, with exports in April 2025 alone rising by 25% year-on-year to $223m, up from $179m. March also posted significant growth, with exports increasing by 23% to $254m. The United States remained Egypt's top export destination, with imports totaling $384m between January and April, marking an 11% increase from $345m in the same period last year. Europe followed as the second-largest market, with imports jumping 39% to $259m, up from $186m. Exports to Arab countries grew modestly by 6%, reaching $190m, while exports to African nations (excluding Arab states) recorded the highest growth rate—skyrocketing by 101%. Exports to other global markets also surged by 50%, totaling $190m compared to $127m during the same period in 2024. Fadel Marzouk, Chairperson of the AECE, attributed the sector's robust performance to a combination of improved global demand, a broader export base, and the council's focused efforts to open new markets and diversify demand sources. He emphasized that this growth confirms the effectiveness of the council's strategy, which aims to increase exports by 30–35% annually. Marzouk highlighted that the strong results reflect intensive efforts to enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian apparel. These include training initiatives, support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), international promotion campaigns, and the resolution of export-related challenges. Looking ahead, Marzouk said the AECE plans to double exports by 2031, targeting $12bn in annual garment exports. This goal will be pursued through expansion into new African and Asian markets, capitalizing on Egypt's preferential trade agreements, and boosting value-added production. Key components of the strategy include modernizing production lines and establishing two new textile and garment cities in Fayoum and Minya. He also stressed the importance of continued government support, particularly through export rebate programs, streamlined logistics, and greater access to affordable financing. These factors, he noted, are critical for strengthening Egypt's export capacity and enhancing its ability to generate foreign currency. © 2024 Daily News Egypt. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The National
5 days ago
- General
- The National
Arab ministers criticise Israel for blocking visit to West Bank
The foreign ministers of five Arab countries who had planned to visit the occupied West Bank this weekend have condemned Israel 's decision to block their plans. In a joint statement released by Jordan's Foreign Ministry on Saturday, the delegation described Israel's move as "a blatant violation of Israel's obligations as an occupying power". The ministers had planned to visit Ramallah and meet President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials. The delegation, including foreign ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia had been expected to take part, alongside Turkey. "[The decision] reflects the arrogance of the Israeli government, its disregard for international law and its continued illegal practices and policies that besiege the brotherly Palestinian people and their legitimate leadership, entrench the occupation and undermine prospects for a just and comprehensive peace," the statement added. Israel's move will further escalate tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's government and the country's Arab neighbours. US President Donald Trump made the inclusion of Saudi Arabia in the Abraham Accords, agreements to normalise relations between Israel and several Arab countries, a top foreign policy priority. However, Israel's move shows how far that goal remains from being achieved. "The committee has decided to postpone the visit to Ramallah due to Israel's obstruction, as it refused to allow the delegation to enter through the airspace over the occupied West Bank, which is controlled by Israel," the Foreign Ministry statement read. Commenting on that, Palestinian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Varsen Aghabekian, told The National on Saturday: "I don't think this comes as a shock to anybody. Israel has been following the exclusion policy for decades and is failing to understand that it needs to integrate in the region." Most of the countries reportedly scheduled to visit Ramallah had normalised ties with Israel. The fact that even these are not being allowed in is "very telling and impedes further normalisation", the minister said. She noted that by not letting these countries visit - even to discuss peace - Israel is further propagating the idea that it does not wish to comply "with anyone" and would continue its aggression against the Palestinians.
Khaleej Times
29-05-2025
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Dh500k aviation scholarships launched to empower women, bridge gender gap
A new scholarship programme worth over Dh500K has been launched for women from Arab countries who want to pursue professional careers in aviation — a sector where women comprise just five per cent of pilots globally. Backed by the Intercontinental Aviation Academy (IAA), the Women in Aviation Middle East scholarship programme targets women from the Middle East facing financial constraints. In an interview with Khaleej Times, Dr Zeina Mehyou, Deputy CEO for Academic Relations, Governance and Student Experience, IAA, said, 'We've long recognised the significant gender gap in aviation, particularly in pilot roles, where women remain highly underrepresented. Over the years, we've actively worked to challenge the perception that aviation is a male-dominated field by emphasising that passion, determination, and skill, not gender, are what truly matter. "However, the UAE and other countries in the region have made significant strides in promoting gender equality, and the aviation sector is a powerful example where women now represent up to 48 per cent of the workforce in certain airlines and aviation organisations.' Under the scholarship. the academy is offering for the 2025 launch: One full scholarship valued at over USD 105,000 (around Dh 385,350), covering all tuition and flight training necessary to obtain a full Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL). Ten fully sponsored scholarships for the Fundamentals of Aviation course, valued at a collective USD 35,000 (Dh128,450), designed to give young women foundational knowledge and early exposure to aviation careers. Dr Zeina Mehyou explained that the programme goes beyond tuition support. It includes mentorship and internship opportunities to ensure recipients are not only trained but also career-ready. 'Recipients will have access to experienced mentors from the aviation industry to guide them throughout their training journey." 'In terms of practical experience, we are also working closely with our industry partners to facilitate internship and potential job placement opportunities for selected scholars, particularly those who demonstrate excellence, to help them transition smoothly from training to the professional aviation environment.' she added. Globally, women remain underrepresented in technical aviation roles. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), women made up just 4.9 per cent of pilots, air traffic controllers, and maintenance technicians combined in 2021. Regionally, the highest increase in the number of women pilots were observed in Asia Pacific and Latin America/Caribbean, with North America leading at 4.6 per cent. To address this disparity, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched the 25by2025 initiative, targeting a 25 per cent increase in female representation in underrepresented and senior roles by 2025. 'The launch of this scholarship programme is a natural next step in our mission. It is designed to remove one of the most common barriers — financial constraints — that may prevent talented women from taking the leap,' said Mehyou. 'By offering this scholarship, we hope to empower more women with the opportunity to start their journey and thrive in the aviation industry.' Applications for the scholarship programme will officially open at the end of May 2025, with those selected to be announced at the Annual Women in Aviation Middle East Meeting in November 2025. All training will be conducted at IAA's facilities in the UAE.
