Oman
Home & Building Expo, World Habitat Day 2026 Events Kick Off

Muscat,
5 Oct 2026 (ONA) — The activities of the Home, and Building Expo and the World
Habitat Day 2026, commenced today at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre as
part of the “Urban October” events organized by the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Planning in partnership with the United Nations Human
Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

The
opening ceremony of the 4-day events, witnessed the signing of 20 partnership,
development, and tender award agreements for residential, service, and tourism
projects across a number of developments, with the total investment value of
the signed projects exceeding RO 1 billion.

These
include three agreements in Sultan Haitham City, three in A’Thuraya City, eight
agreements within the “Sorouh” residential neighborhood and layout
projects, a development agreement in Khazaen Economic City, three development
agreements for an integrated tourism complex between the Ministry of Heritage
and Tourism, Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group), Qurm Stone
Development Company, and Al Bandar Development Company, two agreements in the
Kumzar residential plan with Detonator Engineering Company, and an
Omani-Turkish memorandum of understanding.

The
opening ceremony, held under the auspices of Sheikh Abdulmalik Abdullah Al
Khalili, Chairman of the State Council, included the celebration of World
Habitat Day under the theme “Adequate Housing for All”, with the
participation of Anacláudia Rossbach, Under-Secretary-General of the United
Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements
Programme (UN-Habitat), alongside officials and specialists in housing and
urban planning from a number of countries.

The
exhibition and conference bring together developers, investors, experts, and
decision-makers to discuss providing adequate housing, developing fast-growing
cities, and building integrated communities that respond to the needs of
various segments, alongside reviewing projects and investment opportunities,
and exchanging international experiences in urban development.

The
opening ceremony witnessed the presentation ceremony of the UN-Habitat Scroll
of Honour Award, and the signing of development agreements and tender awards,
followed by the opening of the exhibition and a tour of its pavilions to view
the displayed projects and services.

In
Sultan Haitham City projects, a tender was awarded for executing the
construction work of the Rehabilitation Complex for Persons with Disabilities
and the Elderly Care Home building, with an investment value exceeding RO 12
million, on a land area of 10,300 square meters and a built-up area of 28,000
square meters.

Additionally,
a tender was awarded for Package No. 22 works to divert the wadi course in
Sultan Haitham City along the eastern border of Al Baraka Palace, with an
investment value exceeding RO 14 million, alongside signing a community
contribution agreement with Aflaj Group to execute a sports and health trail in
the city.

In
A’Thuraya City, a tender for consultancy services to prepare the detailed
master plan for Phase Three was awarded to “BIG” company, which won
the international competition for designing this phase, with a value of RO 4.5
million.

Furthermore,
a partnership and development agreement was signed with “Zawaya
Group” for Neighborhood No. “5C”, with an investment value of RO
45 million. The project comprises 220 residential units on a land area of
72,398 square meters and a built-up area of 49,870 square meters.

A
partnership and development agreement was also signed with Al Namaa Real Estate
Company for Neighborhoods “5A” and “5B” in A’Thuraya City,
with an investment value of RO 55 million, totaling 265 residential units, on a
land area of 105,406 square meters and a built-up area of 65,766 square meters.

In
Musandam Governorate, two tenders for the construction of a government school
and a health center in the Kumzar residential plan were awarded to Detonator
Engineering Company, with a total investment value of RO 5 million.

In
addition, an agreement was signed with Mada Group to develop an integrated
residential neighborhood in Khazaen Economic City, with an investment value of RO
50 million.

In
integrated tourism projects, an agreement was signed with Oman Tourism
Development Company (OMRAN Group) to develop the Sultan Qaboos Port Waterfront
project, a development agreement was signed with Al Bandar Development Company
for the Al Bandar project, and a usufruct contract and development agreement
were signed for the “Yenkit Hills” project, one of the integrated
tourism complex projects.

In
the “Sorouh” integrated residential neighborhood and layout projects,
eight agreements were signed to develop residential projects across a number of
governorates in the Sultanate of Oman, with a total investment value of RO 186,636,325.4,
providing 2,443 residential units over a total area of 1,741,290 square meters.

The
agreements included the development of a project in Al Seeh Al Ahmar in the
Wilayat of Bidbid, with an investment value of RO 20,862,598, over an area of
191,169 square meters, comprising 355 residential units.

An
agreement was also signed to develop a project in Wehi Al Murr in the Wilayat
of Bahla, with an investment value of RO 13,315,943, over an area of 151,600
square meters, comprising 175 residential units.

Likewise,
an agreement was signed to develop a project in Raddat Al Busaid in the Wilayat
of Nizwa, with an investment value of RO 28,825,842, over an area of 194,296
square meters, comprising 214 residential units.

A
development agreement was signed for a project in Al Khadra Al Jadeeda in the
Wilayat of Al Buraimi, with an investment value of RO 12,035,302.4, over an
area of 58,250 square meters, comprising 97 residential units.

Furthermore,
an agreement was signed to develop a project in Hay Al Amjad in the Wilayat of
A’Rustaq, with an investment value of RO 2,746,640, over an area of 223,797
square meters, comprising 271 residential units.

The
agreements also included signing a development agreement for a project in Hay
Al Rifa’a in the Wilayat of Sohar, with an investment value of RO 4,850,000,
over an area of 325,869 square meters, comprising 321 residential units.

An
agreement was also signed to develop a project in Falaj Al Sham in the Wilayat
of Bousher, with an investment value of RO 57 million, over an area of 281,346
square meters, comprising 430 residential units.

Additionally,
an agreement was signed to develop a project in the Wilayat of Taqah, with an
investment value of RO 47 million, over an area of 314,963 square meters,
comprising 580 residential units.

The
ceremony concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the
field of housing and urban planning between the Sultanate of Oman and the
Republic of Türkiye.

The
first day’s program included a ministerial session with the participation of
officials from the Sultanate of Oman, Arab countries, Türkiye, and Pakistan,
and a keynote dialogue titled “Adequate Housing for All”. On the
second day, the theme “Emerging and Fast-Growing Cities” will be
discussed to address transforming urban plans and visions into reality, along
with the experiences of UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award winners, as well as
covering the development of light rail stations in Muscat and the role of
public spaces and urban renewal in city prosperity.

The
third day will be dedicated to reviewing the theme “Cities Meeting
Everyone’s Needs”, reviewing the structural master plans for Ibri,
Salalah, Muscat, Sur, A’Rustaq, and Nizwa, and discussing spatial integration
to enhance productivity, with the participation of representatives from the
Ministry of Economy, Khazaen Economic City, and the Public Authority for
Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ), alongside a dialogue on the
homeownership and settlement experience in the Sultanate of Oman, and the
investment forum “Creating Value in the Homeland”.

On
the fourth day of the conference, the theme “Housing Beyond Shelter”
will be presented through sessions discussing the future of housing in the
Sultanate of Oman, designing inclusive environments for all, and building
integrated, connected, and livable communities, with the participation of
specialists in housing, social development, research, innovation, and urban
planning and design.

The
exhibition features more than 200 exhibitors, with the participation of 50
countries and over 65 real estate developers, while more than 100 experts in
urban planning and over 20 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are
participating in the event, allowing visitors to explore development projects,
residential options, and homeownership and investment opportunities.

The
partnership with UN-Habitat and hosting the World Habitat Day celebration stand
out among the key highlights of this edition, alongside combining policy
discussions and international experiences with the presentation of projects and
contracts related to housing, services, and tourism and urban development.

—Ends/AG