Al Dakhiliyah Governorate has launched its “Afaq” Strategy for 2026-2030 alongside 282 development and investment projects valued at over RO 92 million, officials announced during the governorate’s Annual Media Forum held in Manah on June 24.

The newly unveiled strategy is designed to guide the governorate’s development efforts over the next five years, focusing on enhancing institutional capacity and boosting economic, investment, and tourism competitiveness in alignment with the national Oman Vision 2040 framework. The strategy emerged from an extensive participatory process involving more than 330 participants from 46 entities, incorporating 32 interactive sessions, nine field visits, and over 50 interviews with community members to ensure that local priorities and aspirations are central to the development roadmap.

Key pillars of the "Afaq" Strategy include institutional development, economic stimulation, and the reinforcement of Al Dakhiliyah’s identity by leveraging its tourism, cultural, and natural resources. Shaikh Mahmoud bin Rashid al Saadi, Acting Governor of Al Dakhiliyah, emphasized the collaborative nature of ongoing projects, highlighting partnerships between government bodies, the private sector, and the community. He described “Afaq” as a comprehensive framework that transforms public aspirations and sustainable development goals into actionable initiatives consistent with Oman Vision 2040.

Dr Mahmoud bin Humaid al Wahaibi, founder and CEO of Oman Think Urban, endorsed the strategy as a progressive, data-driven approach to development planning, noting its potential to serve as a national model for governorate-level planning.

The forum also showcased the governorate’s expanding economic profile. Non-oil activities contributed over RO 1.078 billion to the local economy, making up nearly 8 percent of Oman’s total non-oil value added. Foreign investments in the governorate surpassed RO 57 million, while investment returns and contracts increased by 40 percent and 52 percent, respectively, reflecting Al Dakhiliyah’s growing attractiveness as an investment hub.

Recent development efforts span various sectors including commercial, tourism, recreational, and service projects. Highlighted achievements include the completion of Nizwa Public Park—which has welcomed more than 600,000 visitors since opening—and Al Jabal Al Akhdhar Public Park, along with several urban development and public facility projects across multiple wilayats.

In urban infrastructure, Al Dakhiliyah implemented 36 municipal projects valued at RO 23.56 million, covering public parks, markets, and tourism-related facilities. Transportation infrastructure advances include 53 internal road projects totaling 434.3 kilometers and costing over RO 43.1 million, alongside 21 street lighting initiatives that installed 907 light poles across the governorate.

Work is ongoing on the Al Dakhiliyah Water Transmission Line Enhancement Project, valued at RO 128 million. The governorate’s water infrastructure currently comprises 131 reservoirs, 128 main pumping stations, 12 wastewater treatment plants, and a 3,782-kilometer water distribution network covering 72 percent of the population.

Municipal authorities reported issuing 7,647 building permits, 3,613 completion certificates, and 971 excavation permits, conducting 23,846 administrative procedures and 43,703 field inspections. Veterinary oversight included inspection of nearly 60,000 slaughtered animals, disposal of over 16 metric tons of unfit meat, and testing of more than 1,800 water and food samples, underscoring efforts to maintain public health and food safety standards.