Wednesday 05 / November / 2025
Sohar: The North Al Batinah Governorate has emerged as a vital hub for achieving multi-dimensional developmental milestones, spanning infrastructure expansion, transportation improvements, quality of life enhancements, education and healthcare advancements, industrial and logistics development, and support for investment and entertainment.
Mohammed Sulaiman Al Kindi, Governor of North Al Batinah, stated that the governorate forms a primary gateway to Oman and the backbone of the logistics economy through an integrated system of ports, free zones, industrial cities, land and sea ports, and a modern road network connecting it with various governorates.
In an interview with Oman News Agency (ONA), he explained that adding the ports of A’Suwaiq and Shinas to the port system and linking them with industrial cities such as Sohar Industrial City, which houses about 354 factories, has enhanced various economic activities in the governorate.
A tender has currently been floated to establish an industrial city in A’Suwaiq, and work will soon begin on a new industrial city in Shinas.
This will contribute to the integration of these industrial cities with each other and with ports, logistics zones, and free zones, making North Al Batinah Governorate a focal point for local and foreign investments across Oman.
He pointed out that work is currently underway to implement the railway connection project between Oman and the United Arab Emirates to develop a modern railway network that enhances logistics efficiency and economic growth between the two countries. He pointed to numerous positive logistical aspects of this project, which will stimulate various economic sectors.
Regarding the development of Sohar Airport, the Governor indicated that the Civil Aviation Authority is preparing to develop the airport's passenger terminal. Once the terminal design is finalized, a tender for its implementation will be floated.
He affirmed that the governorate has managed to achieve exceptional developmental steps, making each wilayat a platform for growth and service, each project an opportunity to enhance the national economy and local affairs, and each initiative a leap in the life of the Omani citizen.
He added that the Governor's Office has formulated a vision based on these comparative advantages of the governorate, particularly in economic, logistical, and industrial fields.
This has positively reflected on the growth of non-oil economic activities, which witnessed a growth rate of 16% between 2022 and 2023, and about 5.6% from mid-2023 to mid-2024, with total revenues exceeding OMR4.4 billion, encompassing service, industrial, agricultural, and fisheries activities.
He clarified that service sector revenues in the governorate reached OMR2.4 billion, the industrial sector about OMR1.8 billion, and the agricultural and fisheries sector OMR159 million.
He noted that the governorate's population reached 925,000, containing the highest proportion of Omani nationals among all governorates, providing a positive indicator for investors and companies to invest in the governorate.
The Governor pointed out that the volume of foreign investments in North Al Batinah Governorate during 2024 reached USD 6.4 billion, indicating the governorate's ability to attract more diverse investments.
Meanwhile, investment volume during the first half of this year amounted to about USD 1.7 billion, contributing to providing a number of job opportunities.
He added that North Al Batinah Governorate, through its budget, focuses on empowering small companies and pushing forward projects that provide job opportunities for job seekers, in addition to developing and enhancing some infrastructure projects such as parks, internal road construction, and other projects that meet the needs of residents and the community.
He affirmed that the pace of development in the governorate is rising noticeably with the capacity building of employees in various government units in the governorate, significantly helping to improve work quality and enhance the decentralization approach adopted by the government to empower governorates.
He touched upon the importance of holding investment forums and meetings at the governorate level, such as the Sohar Investment Forum organised by Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in coordination with the Governor's Office and other government and private entities, which contributed to attracting many investors from around the world.
Preparations are underway to hold the second edition of the forum in the first quarter of 2026, expected to further attract investments and activate commercial, service, and tourism aspects in the governorate, which has 58 hotel establishments.
Regarding the impact of investment projects on the community, he said these projects have achieved positive and tangible results for the community, whether through direct employment, support for small and medium enterprises, or allocating financial amounts for community development in the six wilayats of the governorate, such as establishing parks, building markets, enhancing the healthcare sector.
Regarding the municipal sector in North Al Batinah Governorate, he clarified that the sector has witnessed the implementation of many projects, most notably the expansion of the second phase of the vehicle sales complex project in Al Awhi area in Sohar, development of the Liwa entrance, internal road maintenance project, development of the commercial market area in Shinas, the project to develop the area for street vendors in Al Khadra area in A’Suwaiq, internal road maintenance in Saham, implementation of side protection works, beautification and rehabilitation of Wadi Hasoun stream in Sohar, and protection works for the Al-Durrah project in Al Khaboura.
He pointed out that North Al Batinah Municipality seeks to promote local tourism and provide dedicated recreational spaces for the residents of mountainous areas in Al Khaboura through three projects aimed at improving quality of life and meeting community needs.
These include Al Dhweher Park, development of Sakhayat Park, and establishment of Al Baks Park to develop the infrastructure for recreational aspects in these areas. These projects represent an important step towards enhancing social and recreational life in Al Khaboura and providing a distinctive recreational environment for the residents.
He stated that North Al Batinah Municipality continues to implement one of the most prominent infrastructure projects in the governorate, which involves paving roads in compensatory plans in Al Khaboura and Saham over a length of 60 kilometres. Work has also been completed on the project to develop Shinas Marine Park.
He added that North Al Batinah Municipality continues to implement large-scale road projects in the wilayats of Sohar, Saham, Al Khaboura, A’Suwaiq, Liwa and Shinas, with total lengths of 258 kilometres, as part of a comprehensive plan aimed at improving the internal road network and enhancing connectivity between residential and commercial areas.
He pointed out that North Al Batinah Municipality has completed the first phase of the Al Hisn area development project in Al Khaboura, which aims to protect the coastal strip affected by wave impacts and repeated environmental factors, by implementing a 430-meter-long protection wall to safeguard key facilities overlooking the coast, including the fish market and commercial shops.
He stated that the implementation of A’Suwaiq Public Park project will resume after being re-floated by Jusoor Company following its previous suspension.
Approximately 90,000 square metres of the park's total area will be developed. Additionally, Liwa Market for fish, vegetables, and fruits is being constructed at a cost of about OMR1.2 million, to be an integrated market consisting of two buildings designed in a modern and contemporary architectural style.
The Governor affirmed that the healthcare sector has witnessed the completion of promising health projects, including A’Suwaiq Hospital project, expected to open soon, and the Sohar Referral Hospital expansion project with a total cost of OMR28 million, increasing the hospital's capacity to over 636 beds—an increase of 270 beds—and the opening of dialysis units in the wilayats of Saham, Al Khaboura, and Sohar.
