Collaboration Program Inked
to Establish Company for Designing VLSI Circuits in Oman

Muscat, 18 May (ONA) — The
Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technology, in partnership
with the Ministry of Labour, signed a collaboration program with Indian company
“Kaynes Semicon” to establish a company to design very-large-scale integrated
(VLSI) circuits in the Sultanate of Oman.

The move aims to enhance the position
of the Sultanate of Oman as a regional center for advanced technologies,

The company’s activities will
focus on promoting semiconductor design innovation and developing national
cadres. According to the collaboration program, Kaynes Semicon will execute a
12-month qualification program funded by the Ministry of Labour for 80 Omani
engineers on semiconductor design techniques to qualify them as semiconductor
specialists who can keep up with the requirements and updates of the future
labour market in this field through the company’s commitment under this collaboration
to transfer global knowledge and standards in the field of semiconductors to the
Sultanate of Oman.

This collaboration is part of
the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technology’s efforts
to implement a digital industry program under the ‘National Program for Digital
Economy.’ The initiative aims to attract international technology projects to
the Sultanate of Oman in order to enhance the digital economy’s contribution to
the GDP. Additionally, it seeks to localize technology, hire qualified Omani
personnel, improve the competitiveness of Omani youth in the semiconductor
sector, and strengthen the semiconductor system and organization in Oman.

The program was signed by Dr.
Ali Amer Al Shidhani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport,
Communication, and Information Technology for Communications and Information
Technology, Salim Musallam Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour
for Human Resources and Raju Panicker, CEO of Kaynes Semicon.

Al Shidhani, said that
signing this collaboration program with Kaynes Semicon is a remarkable step to
build up an integrated sector in the field of the semiconductor industry, which
forms an essential pillar of the international digital economy. This step is
part of the strategic inclinations of the Sultanate of Oman to localize advanced
technologies, attract qualitative investments that promote national potentials,
and increase the quality of Omani cadres. He added that the center will be an
axis point for the company operations of designing semiconductor chips on the
regional level, while relying on national cadres qualified and trained to
handle the latest advanced technologies.

In the context of executing a
digital industry program Al-Shidhani said that the Ministry is working on
creating an environment that attracts advanced technology investments that goes
in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 towards a diversified and knowledge-based
economy that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship.

On his turn, Salim Musallam
Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour said that signing this
program is part of the ministry’s efforts to qualify national cadres, which
undoubtedly will promote the digital economy and market requirements and needs.

He also added that this
program is part of the Ministry of Labour’s programs related to the labour
market, which represents a fundamental step towards diversification and
innovation, given that the Sultanate of Oman has achieved considerable
accomplishments in its modern renaissance.

—Ends/AG