The transformation to a digital government requires the design of a strategic direction and a long-term organizational and digital change process. Oman encourages collaboration in the public and private sectors to achieve a unified vision.
Oman has made significant strides in digital government maturity, distinguishing itself among other GCC countries through strategic initiatives integrated into its national plans. Central to this progress, the e.Oman 2030 strategy is designed to equip the community, workforce, businesses, and government with the tools to navigate the impact of technology and digitalization.
The overarching vision of e.Oman 2030 is to lead in digital transformation and innovation, thereby enhancing the economy and fostering societal prosperity. This vision is underpinned by key objectives, including boosting the IT sector’s contribution to the GDP, digitalizing public services, creating opportunities in digital technology employment, nurturing startup ventures, and establishing Oman as a global leader in cybersecurity and trust.
The Ministry of Transport, Communications & Information Technology (MTCIT) underscores the pivotal role of Oman’s digital transformation in expediting access to information technology across all segments of society. This transformation has not only facilitated economic growth but has also supported various sectors to flourish.
Notably, digital government is one of the cornerstones within Oman’s National Digital Economy Program, highlighting its critical importance in the nation's development agenda.
Program Focus
The Government Digital Transformation Program aims to streamline and automate government services, enhancing citizen experiences. It focuses on system integration and a unified e-portal to provide smart, proactive, and rewarding digital services. This vision emphasizes outstanding innovation, open-source data, and e-community participation to stimulate Oman's business sector and attract diverse investments.
Targeting over 50 government institutions, the digital transformation program intends to propel Oman's UN eGovernment Development Index rank to the top 10 by 2040, aligning with Oman’s Vision 2040. The program will empower startups and SMEs to innovate, fostering a more agile and transparent government while enhancing community engagement and accountability.
By 2025, the Government Digital Transformation Program aims to achieve specific performance indicators within its implementation tracks, including the following:
- Under the Excellence in E-services track, 80% of government services should be completely processed electronically.
- Under the Efficiency of Digital Solutions and Infrastructure track, the public sector will reach 85% of the digital readiness index as well as fully launch the updated version of the unified national portal for e-services and raise the evaluation of entities in the e-integration index.
- Under the Empowering National Capabilities and Managing Digital Change track, 100% of the human resources in the government sector must be trained in various areas of digital transformation.
- Under the Community Participation and Awareness track, the programme aims to increase the satisfaction rate of e-government services’ beneficiaries by over 60% and fully implement marketing campaigns to promote smart services according to the approved plan.
The program anticipates investing approximately OMR 170 million to enhance procedures, re-engineer government services, automate primary services, and fully digitize them. This investment will focus on developing digital solutions, improving digital infrastructure, and nurturing national expertise in digital transformation, future skills, and change management.
By the end of 2022, the average general performance of government establishments for digital transformation amounted to 62%, according to the MTCIT’s Excellence Measurement Report.
E-Governance
In Oman's journey towards Vision 2040, the nation's youthful and tech-savvy population emerges as pivotal players, underlining their crucial role in driving the desired transformation. At the forefront of this movement lies the adoption of e-governance, which holds immense promise for Oman's future.
E-governance empowers Oman's youth to champion digital platforms and solutions, offering streamlined processes, heightened transparency, and increased efficiency in public services. This fosters a more inclusive and accessible system, strengthening government and community bonds.
Moreover, e-governance opens new avenues for innovation, entrepreneurship, and foreign investment, cultivating an environment conducive to startup growth, digital industry attraction, and global recognition for Oman.
Critical to this endeavor is the readiness of government entities and institutions to embrace the digital realm. This involves initiatives such as digital literacy programs, upskilling efforts, and a supportive ecosystem for innovation, ensuring adaptability to the evolving digital landscape.
Furthermore, e-governance facilitates citizen participation, fostering trust, encouraging civic engagement, and fortifying Oman's social fabric. Strategic investments in digital infrastructure, connectivity, and cybersecurity are integral components for the success of a digital government, reinforcing Oman's commitment to its digital future.
Initiatives and Milestones
Government ministries have established innovation parks, knowledge centers, education facilities, incubators, and research centers, fostering a surge in hackathons, boot camps, training programs, seminars, workshops, and competitions for innovators. These initiatives have spurred the private sector and academia to emulate similar endeavors.
By the end of 2023, Oman's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) achieved top honors in the Digital Government Award for GCC countries. Their winning entry was the Public Consultations project, recognized for its excellence in fostering community participation.
Additionally, Oman's Government Communication Center, in collaboration with the Media Training Center at the Ministry of Information, conducted a training program titled "Managing Digital Content and Optimizing Algorithm Interaction." This program aimed to enhance participants' skills in digital content management, media content planning, and developing sustainable content strategies.
Within the same timeline, to fast-track the government's digital transition, Oman’s MTCIT assembled a meeting with team leaders to underscore the significance of bolstering collaboration among change management teams across government institutions. The MTCIT aims to expedite the efforts of digital transformation teams and facilitate the transfer of knowledge, leveraging successful experiences for maximum benefit.
In February 2024, Muscat's Artificial Intelligence Economics Initiative 2024 forum saw the Oman government unveiling a new AI-driven growth strategy. Dr. Said bin Mohammed Al Saqri, Minister of Economy, disclosed the allocation of OMR 10 million to government agencies and OMR 5 million to governorates. The forum aims to boost in-country value (ICV) and serve as a platform for companies to showcase innovative solutions across sectors, fostering collaboration between government and private entities.
At the forum, winning projects were announced, promising to enhance government spending efficiency, reduce costs, spur innovation, and facilitate research. Socially, these projects will improve access to medical services, promote sustainable resource management, foster interaction between innovators and companies, and strengthen communication across government levels.
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