Government prioritises infrastructure in Budget

The government has allocated OMR3.7bn for infrastructure development, industrial and services projects in its 2019 state budget. This includes OMR1.2bn allocated for infrastructure projects, which are overseen by government units, and a further OMR2.5bn to be used by some state-owned-enterprises for the implementation of projects in industrial and services sectors. The plans include: construction of hospitals in Salalah, Khasab, and Suwaiq; water networks projects in a number of districts; construction of catering facilities, air cargo terminals and aircraft mainte- nance hangars at Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport; implementation of the Al Shar- qiyah expressway project; dualling of the Adam-Thumrait road; the Liwa City Housing Complex; construction of alternative housing units for the people whose houses were a ected by Batinah coastal road project; 400 housing units in Khor Souly (Salalah); and a number of new schools, and of additional facilities at existing schools. Oman is looking to raise OMR2.4bn ($6.2bn) internation- ally and at home, according to the 2019 state budget plan.