Development of the Manufacturing Industries of Oman: Preparing for the Future (Analytical Report)

Oman’s economy, like those of its neighbours in the Gulf region, is strongly dependent on hydrocarbon revenues and foreign labor. The manufacturing sector of Oman has a crucial role to play in the structural transformation of the oil-dependent economy towards a sustainable economy that is competitive in productive activities. Forward-looking government policy envisages that the non-oil industrial sector will be one of the main pillars for continued prosperity. This report analyses the performance of Oman’s manufacturing sector between 2005 and 2012, from the sector’s relative importance in the Omani economy and the structural changes occurring within the period, to the enhancement of skills among local workers and the developments in competitiveness and productivity. It traces the trends and development in the major industries of Oman’s manufacturing sector and points the way forward for further economic growth and diversification.   

The analysis is based on a comprehensive industrial survey, undertaken by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Oman, of the country’s large and middle scale manufacturing establishments. The survey was a component of a technical cooperation project implemented jointly by UNIDO and Oman’s Directorate General of Industry at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.