More than 400 Omani Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been selected to take part in the Expo 2021 which will be held from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 in Dubai, according to the General Commission for Oman’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP).

The Sultanate will participate in Expo 2021 which will be held under the slogan "Connecting Minds and Creating the Future", alongside more than 190 countries with the pavilion.

Besides showcasing the products and services of these companies at the Omani Pavilion, these companies will be taking part in other events including the Omani Investment Week which will be held as part of the six months' long Expo.

"As many as 400 small and medium enterprises including craftsmen, owners of small scale family businesses and rural women with their more than two thousand types of products and services are participating in the Expo 2021. However, numbers are not yet finalized," Mohsin al Balushi, Commissioner General, Expo 2021, Undersecretary at the MoCIIP told the Observer.

"We have been receiving an overwhelming response from across the sectors and SME representation will be one of its kind. So far, we have received more than 500 SME registrations and these SME's are registered and classified with the support of the SME, section at the Ministry" Al Balushi added.

Additionally, international visitors to the Oman pavilion will be issued with a free visit visa to the Sultanate automatically. Thus will enable them to pass through Oman and spend some time here. As many as eight ministries and the Royal Oman Police are involved in the implementation of the Oman pavilion at the Expo 2020.

"This visa facility will help attract more tourists to the various attractions of the Sultanate and that will be a reciprocal arrangement with the UAE which is hosting the Expo 2020", Al Balushi said.

Innovation Factory for R&D, which is the winner of the entrepreneurship award 2017, has been appointed as project lead in developing the first package of Oman pavilion in expo 2020 Dubai which includes creating the preliminary pavilion and detailed design and supervision of contractor of the construction at the site.

Oman's pavilion, which bears the look and feel of a frankincense tree, has been given a virtual environment with advanced technology designed and manufactured by Omani youth from the Innovation Factory. To get a realtime feel, a 30-year-old frankincense tree was specially brought from the Sultanate to Dubai which will be the main emblem on which the Sultanate’s pavilion is being built.

The design, development, and installation of the pavilion with the state-of-the-art technology, multimedia and the like is delivered by a consortium of Omani SMEs from different sectors to maximise the In-Country Value from the project", said Shaima al Gheilani, Lead - Commercial Affairs, Innovation Factory.

Source: https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1105462/oman/tourism/over-400-omani-smes-to-participate-in-expo-2021