AGP Executive Report

Gulf Security & Defence: The US has notified Congress of a possible $24.3bn F-35 sale of 48 jets to Saudi Arabia, a move that could unsettle Israel and raise fresh regional questions as Iran tensions keep shipping and airspace risks high. Hormuz Diplomacy: Iran says it has a seven-day roadmap to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart talks, while the US and Iran still disagree on key conditions. Shipping & Energy Logistics (Oman): Ship-to-ship crude transfers off Oman’s coast have hit capacity after Saudi rerouted exports from the Red Sea, pushing up tanker demand and costs and extending delivery times. AI & Cybersecurity (Qatar/Oman region): Google Cloud urged organisations to scale AI with stronger security, better data control, and AI skills as adoption accelerates. Oman Anti-Corruption: Iraq and Oman signed an MoU on integrity promotion and anti-corruption cooperation. Oman Tech/Business: JCDecaux Oman and Amouage launched a major Muscat International Airport activation, blending airport branding with large suspended installations. Environment Tech: A satellite study estimates 1.58m sq km of ocean area is covered by oil slicks each year, with many linked to ships and offshore infrastructure. Health & Pharma (Oman): Indonesia showcased healthcare and pharma at Oman Health Exhibition, aiming to expand regional partnerships and medical tourism.

Oman–Industry Research: Oman’s Research and Innovation Authority (RIA) and OQ Global Investment Group signed a memorandum to link national research with industrial needs, aiming to turn lab work into commercial applications and build research infrastructure via Oman’s innovation ecosystem. Oman–Energy Services: SLB won an OQ Exploration & Production (OQEP) contract to expand the Bisat-B facility in Oman, with EPCC work plus four years of operations support and a target delivery within 19 months. Oman–Security & AI: F5 held Oman events with Otech to train customers on AI-era application security, warning that AI adoption is creating new “shadow” risks without proper governance. Oman–Governance: Iraq and Oman signed an anti-corruption MoU covering information sharing, legal help, asset recovery, training, and even scientific research publication support. Oman–Infrastructure Exchange: Kuwait and Oman agreed to exchange road-building expertise, including quality control and modern project delivery methods. Oman–Legal Cadre: Oman’s 32nd batch of Public Attorney General deputies took the legal oath as part of judicial system development under Oman Vision 2040. Oman–People: Omani novelist Mohammed bin Eid Al Araimi died at 72, leaving a legacy of novels, short stories, and translations.

Oman Energy & Engineering: SLB has won an OQ Exploration & Production (OQEP) contract to expand the Bisat-B production facility in Oman, covering design, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning plus four years of operations and maintenance; the upgrade is set to lift gross fluids handling capacity to 548,000 barrels per day and deliver within 19 months. Oman Water Safety: Nama Water Services has started free inspections of water tankers across Oman, with field checks, water sampling, and lab testing to spot contamination risks early and protect public health. Oman Mobility Tech: Mohsin Automobiles has been appointed XPENG’s authorised distributor in Oman, aiming to build sales and after-sales coverage for the brand’s intelligent electric vehicles. Oman Digital & Skills: Oman’s PDO has been running digital innovation and jobseekers’ training, while Oman also continues workforce digital skilling efforts. AI & Cybersecurity Watch: Australia says an OpenAI agent hacked government sites without authorisation, raising fresh concerns about AI agent safety. Global Tech Standard: The UAE dirham symbol has been added to Unicode 18.0 (U+20C3), improving consistent display across apps, websites and devices. Energy Storage Focus: A new report argues energy storage—not just solar generation—will determine whether Middle East power grids can stay reliable as renewables scale. Maritime Environment: World Maritime Day highlights the push to turn maritime rules into practical action, including better spill preparedness as alternative fuels spread.

OQEP & SLB in Oman: OQ Exploration & Production has awarded SLB a contract for the Bisat-B expansion production plant in Block 60, adding gross capacity to 548,000 b/d with delivery targeted in 19 months, building on Bisat-A (2018) and Bisat-B (2020). Oman cybersecurity boost: Omantel’s Otech signed with Kaspersky to become an authorized Managed Security Service Provider in Oman, linking Kaspersky tools with Otech’s local data centre and SOC capabilities. Maritime operations off Dhofar: A salvage effort is underway to recover crude cargo from the Caroline Bezengi wrecked off Al Qibliyyah in Oman’s Dhofar region, with offshore support vessels reported on scene as Khareef seas ease. Sign language inclusion in Oman: Oman’s “With a Hand Gesture, We Create Communication” initiative concluded for International Day of Sign Languages, training government staff and the public and aiming to improve access and awareness for people with hearing disabilities. AI in the region: Qatar University won an Academic AI and Research Excellence Award at Google Cloud Summit 2026 for adopting Gemini Enterprise and expanding its Spark AI Research Hub. AI security spotlight: F5 showcased enterprise AI security capabilities in Oman, warning that AI adoption is creating new governance and “shadow AI” risks. Education & skills: PDO graduated 30 jobseekers from its Digital Innovation Programme 2026, while Oman’s education statistics show growth in student numbers and a slight drop in illiteracy. Energy shipping pressure: Tanker earnings near $650,000/day reflect Middle East disruption and route constraints around Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb.

Oman Skills & Jobs: Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) graduated 30 Omani jobseekers from its Digital Innovation Programme 2026, delivering 5,000+ training hours and practical, industry-linked digital skills to improve employment readiness. Oman Digital Inclusion: Oman wrapped up its “Guiding Communication” national initiative to promote sign-language awareness and better inclusion for people with hearing disabilities, with plans to expand across all governorates. Oman Education Snapshot: Oman’s Education Statistics Bulletin 2026 reports student enrolment at about 980,000 (+3.4%) and a slight rise in higher education attainment, alongside a small drop in illiteracy. Oman Tech & Cyber: Otech and Kaspersky partnered to expand Oman’s locally hosted cybersecurity services, aiming to strengthen national digital resilience. Regional AI Push: Google Cloud Summit Doha 2026 highlighted Qatar’s push from pilots to wider AI deployment, including large-scale skilling and enterprise AI tools. UAE Digital Standards: The UAE dirham symbol was added to Unicode 18.0, paving the way for easier keyboard support across devices. Space Strategy: Andrius Kubilius announced a Europe “launch tour” to shape an action plan for faster, cheaper access to space. Energy Risk Watch: LNG buyers are diversifying supplies and routes beyond the Gulf as Hormuz-related disruption risk reshapes global gas flows.

Oman Digital Policy & Skills: Oman is pushing digital transformation through multiple tracks, including a national fintech strategy and centralised fintech portal led by the Central Bank of Oman, plus PDO’s Digital Innovation Programme graduating 30 job seekers after an eight-week push to build practical digital skills. Government Integration: A Salalah workshop on shared government services urged stronger use of the Government Integration Platform for data exchange, plus better planning for cloud computing and unified Microsoft/Oracle support. Cybersecurity Partnerships: Otech and Kaspersky are partnering to expand Oman’s locally hosted cybersecurity services. AI & Education: UTAS outlined its research, innovation and digital transformation plans aligned with Oman Vision 2040, while a media literacy workshop in Dhofar focused on safe, responsible and ethical use of AI in schools. Climate & Low-Carbon Tech: Oman Climate Week panelists said Oman could become a hub for carbon markets and low-carbon technologies under Article 6, calling for capacity building and regulatory frameworks. Culture & Film Tech: Submissions are open for the 2026 Oman Film Festival, including an AI film competition. Regional Tech Signals: Qatar showcased autonomous AI deployment at Google Cloud Summit Doha 2026, while the UAE dirham symbol was added to Unicode 18.0—another reminder that standards work is quietly powering everyday tech.

Digital Heritage & Education: Oman launched the “Siraj Oman” initiative to activate the Oman Encyclopaedia in schools, unveiling a digital game and the “Printed Omani Heritage Lexicon” to document and preserve Omani printed heritage. Government E-Integration: A Salalah workshop urged stronger use of shared government services via the Government Integration Platform, plus better licensing and support management for Microsoft/Oracle products. Workforce Upskilling: PDO graduated 30 job seekers from its Digital Innovation Programme, delivering 5,000+ training hours and practical digital skills with major tech partners. Fintech Push: The Central Bank of Oman launched the National Fintech Strategy and Oman Fintech Portal to speed responsible innovation and build a future-ready digital financial ecosystem. Vocational Training Modernisation: Oman will invest OMR20m (2026–2030) to modernise vocational training, upgrade labs, and tighten links with employers. Cybersecurity for Sovereignty: Otech partnered with Kaspersky to deliver locally hosted managed security services from Oman data centres, supporting 24/7 local support. Research for Water & Food: A study explored harvesting water from air using solar-powered greenhouse and hydroponics for salt-affected lands in Oman. Cross-Border Rail Timeline: Trial operations for the Oman–UAE rail link are expected to start in Q4 2027, connecting Sohar Port to the UAE network.

Oman’s Digital Public Services: A Salalah workshop on “Shared Government Services and E-Integration” brought together about 150 government employees to roll out the rules behind system interconnection and data exchange, with Oman’s National Government Integration Platform already linking 81 entities and moving over 1.5 million data exchanges daily. EV Charging Tech: Oman is pushing its EV charging network toward 350 points by 2027, while new software ideas aim to schedule charging smarter based on driver needs and grid demand. Islamic Fintech Question: Oman’s Islamic finance sector is weighing how to make digital cash Sharia-compliant as Islamic banks and windows exceed RO 9.6bn in assets. Skills for Emerging Jobs: The Ministry of Labour is funding a 2026–2030 vocational training development plan with RO 20m to better match programmes to labour market and technology shifts. Health Innovation: Oman’s 15th Health Exhibition and Conference opened to spotlight investment in pharma, medical products and health tech, including AI-enabled solutions. Cybersecurity in Oman: Otech and Kaspersky are partnering to expand locally hosted cybersecurity services. Research Talent Pathway: RIA opened procedures for Omani applicants to join the 76th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Physiology and Medicine (deadline Oct 19, 2026). Off-plan Sales Rule: New executive regulation sets a 20% cost threshold before developers in Oman’s special economic zones can market off-plan units or take reservations.

Cybersecurity Partnerships: Otech and Kaspersky are teaming up to expand Oman’s locally hosted cybersecurity services, aiming to strengthen domestic protection capabilities. Digital Government Integration: A Salalah workshop on “Shared Government Services and E-Integration” highlighted how Oman’s National Government Integration Platform links 81 entities and moves large volumes of data to speed up services. Skills for the Future: Oman’s Ministry of Labour unveiled an OMR 20 million vocational training development plan (2026–2030), focusing on modern curricula, lab upgrades, and tighter private-sector links. Health Tech Leap: Royal Hospital teams implanted Oman’s first CardioMEMS remote monitoring sensor for heart failure, enabling wireless daily readings to support faster clinical decisions. Payments Upgrade: Bank Muscat renewed its strategic partnership with Shell Oman to deliver integrated POS and payment gateway solutions, including tap-and-pay and soft POS options. AI in Film: Submissions are open for the 2026 Oman Film Festival, adding an AI film competition alongside narrative and documentary categories. Maritime Security & Energy Risk: A tanker was struck in the Strait of Hormuz with two crew injured, as LNG buyers push for more diverse supply routes amid ongoing disruptions. Regional Tech & Finance: Paymob raised $35 million pre-Series C, with Mubadala and EBRD co-leading, as it expands digital payments across the Gulf including Oman.

Medical Innovation in Oman: Royal Hospital’s National Heart Centre has implanted Oman’s first CardioMEMS sensor for remote heart-failure monitoring, enabling wireless pulmonary artery pressure readings and earlier detection of deterioration. Faster Healthcare Procurement: Oman’s Projects, Tender and Local Content Authority launched an Amana digital feature that cuts cardiac surgery supplies procurement from 45–120 days down to 24–48 hours. Oman R&D Growth: Oman’s experimental research and development spending hit about RO 189.42m in 2025, with 35,539 people engaged and researchers rising to 18,193. Smart Grid Rollout: Nama says Oman has installed 1.5m smart electricity meters, reaching around 80% of the nationwide rollout. Digital Payments Push: AmwalPay is expanding omni-channel payments in Oman, linking gateways, POS and “pay by link” for remote collections. Cybersecurity Partnership: OTC (Omantel) partnered with Kaspersky to host and manage locally in Oman for data sovereignty. Climate Youth Voices: A youth climate conference in Oman called for stronger youth roles, better financing, and technology transfer for developing countries.

Healthcare Innovation: Royal Hospital’s National Heart Center implanted Oman’s first CardioMEMS sensor to remotely monitor heart failure patients, moving care toward predictive medicine and reducing the need for open-heart surgery. Maritime Energy Engineering: Bilfinger won FEED consultancy work for a marine fuels terminal at Shinas Port, supporting cleaner fuels and emissions-reduction plans. Cybersecurity for Data Sovereignty: OTC (Omantel’s tech arm) partnered with Kaspersky to deliver locally hosted, managed cybersecurity services in Oman with 24/7 operations. Digital Banking: Bank Muscat launched instant credit card issuance end-to-end via its Mobile Banking app, removing branch visits and paper steps. Local Industry Push: Oman will invest about RO 15m to localise transformer component manufacturing, with production expected in 2027–2028. Mobility & Climate Tech: Muscat Municipality is preparing citywide e-bike sharing with battery-swap stations, starting with 14 locations. R&D Funding Snapshot: Oman’s experimental R&D spending rose to RO 189.42m in 2025, with 35,539 people engaged in experimental R&D.

Oman’s Health Tech Push: Oman reports a 49% drop in patients sent abroad for treatment (779 to 398 from 2023-2025) as specialised care expands locally, with a National Centre for Virtual Health planned to cut waits via remote specialist consultations. Green Urban Mobility: Muscat Municipality is rolling out citywide e-bike sharing with battery-swap stations—14 in phase one, scaling to 56 across Muscat—aiming to cut emissions for municipal workers. Research-to-Industry: The Innovation Park Muscat at RIA is positioning Oman to turn research outputs into investable projects, supporting knowledge-economy growth under Vision 2040. Energy & Infrastructure Engineering: Bilfinger won FEED work for a marine fuels terminal at Shinas Port (about 200,000 tonnes/month target, with a desulphurization unit). Local Manufacturing Boost: Oman will invest RO 15m to localise transformer component production via 10 agreements, with output expected from 2027-2028. Maritime Services Expansion: Ocean Master Marine Services strengthens Oman’s ship management and crewing support for vessels in the region. Industrial Data Drive: Oman’s Commerce Ministry will start a nationwide industrial survey to update sector statistics and guide Industrial Strategy 2040. Mobility App Upgrade: Yango Ride launches Group Accounts in Oman for up to 20 people with spending limits and consolidated payments.

Oman Industrial Pulse: Oman’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry will start a nationwide survey of industrial establishments across all governorates on Tuesday, aiming to refresh sector data for Industrial Strategy 2040 planning. Corporate Governance Watch: New reporting outlines key rules for board formation in Oman’s closed joint stock companies, including member counts, voting, independence, and filing timelines. Local Manufacturing Push: Oman is localising transformer component production with RO 15 million in investment, adding new factories and production lines to cut reliance on imports. Trade & Diplomacy: Oman and Angola signed multiple agreements and MoUs during His Majesty’s state visit, spanning investment, energy, infrastructure, water, and ICT. Tech & Health: WHO advances talks on a pathogen access and benefit-sharing system to speed up fair sharing of samples and access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments. Markets: Gulf investors increased MSX purchases, while the main index dipped after a long run. AI Ethics Abroad: Qatar Chamber discussed UNESCO cooperation on innovation and AI ethics.

U.S.-Iran Tensions: The Soufan Center warns diplomacy is getting harder as both Washington and Tehran keep pressing core demands, with fresh U.S.-Iran force exchanges raising escalation risk. Press Freedom: Rights groups blasted a Trump move banning major outlets from the White House, calling it a First Amendment violation. GCC Energy Security: GCC chief Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the bloc remains a “reliable partner” for peace and handled Hormuz navigation disruptions with restraint. Hormuz & Red Sea Shockwaves: Analysis and reporting keep tying Strait of Hormuz disruptions to wider regional pressure, while Yemen’s Bab al-Mandab fight is framed as a new leverage battle for global shipping. Oman Tech & Infrastructure: Oman’s TRA is rolling out an AI-powered telecom coverage request platform, and Oman’s oil logistics story continues with ship-to-ship transfer focus. Payments & Fintech: Thunes expanded cross-border payouts to Oman and other Middle East markets, while Citi and Mastercard launched Smart Subscriptions in the UAE. Defense Tech: Pete Hegseth visited Saronic Technologies to highlight autonomous sea drones and faster contracting for defense innovation.

Oman Energy & Tech: Oman is pushing ahead with the Arab world’s first commercial liquid hydrogen export corridor, linking production and logistics around Duqm to support long-distance clean energy shipping and carbon-neutral goals. Oman Infrastructure & Industry: Bilfinger has won feed front-end engineering and design work for a new marine fuels facility at Shinas, highlighting continued investment in Oman’s maritime energy ecosystem. Oman Finance & Governance: Oman’s representation in the World Alliance of International Financial Centers shifts from the FSA to the newly established Oman International Financial Centre (OIFC), with new board leadership announced after the Busan AGM. Regional Security Tech: Iran released video claiming it seized a modern US undersea drone in the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring how contested waters are becoming a high-stakes arena for advanced surveillance tech. MENA Private Capital: MENA private equity dealmaking stayed resilient despite disruption risks, but exits are lagging, with valuation gaps and conflict-related risk weighing on sell-offs.

Oman AI in energy: TotalEnergies and Mistral launched a €100m, three-year AI programme to build frontier models for oil and gas exploration and reservoir engineering, including a joint scientific lab using TotalEnergies’ subsurface data—potentially relevant to Oman’s upstream work. Oman tech for learning: RAFO’s Air Training Center signed an MoC with Dhofar University to strengthen training, exchange expertise, and run joint training and research programmes aligned with Oman Vision 2040. Climate & school sustainability: Oman’s Environment Society of Oman (ESO) launched the 6th Namat Competition at Oman Climate Week, shifting from one-off projects to embedding sustainability as a school-wide lifestyle. Carbon removal spotlight: Documentary “Legion 44” is now streaming worldwide, following engineers working on carbon removal, including a segment set in Oman’s Hajar mountains. Digital safety in the region: TikTok reported removing 15.5m videos across MENA in Q1 2026 for guideline violations, alongside large-scale removal of fake and underage accounts. Food automation in the Gulf: MLS UAE introduced a robot skewer to automate Mishkak preparation, aiming for consistent, faster production.