CBO
Launches Research Symposium to Advance Policy Foresight, Economic Resilience

Muscat,
6 Oct 2026 (ONA) — The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) today launched its
inaugural Research Symposium, marking a strategic step in strengthening the
role of economic research in shaping policy, anticipating risks and advancing
Oman’s long-term prosperity.

Envisaged
as an annual platform bringing together economists, researchers, policymakers
and financial-sector experts, the symposium reflects the CBO’s ambition to
translate rigorous analysis into practical policy insight. It connects
international expertise with a deeper understanding of Oman’s economy,
supporting decisions that preserve confidence, strengthen resilience and enable
sustainable development in line with Oman Vision 2040.

The
initiative advances the CBO’s research and advisory role at a time when shifts
in global growth, interest rates, capital flows and financial markets demand
greater analytical depth and institutional preparedness. Its strategic purpose
is to strengthen the link between knowledge and action: identifying emerging
vulnerabilities, evaluating policy choices and understanding how financial
developments affect businesses, households and the wider economy.

Ahmed
Jaafar Al Musalmi, Governor of the Central Bank of Oman, said: “The strength of
a central bank lies in its ability to preserve confidence today and prepare the
economy for tomorrow. Research gives us the foresight to recognise emerging
risks, the evidence to make sound decisions and the insight to turn change into
opportunity. Our ambition is to make the Central Bank of Oman a leading source
of policy insight—where rigorous research informs decisive action, strengthens
monetary and financial stability, and advances lasting prosperity for Oman.”

The
Governor’s vision places research at the heart of an institution that anticipates
developments and helps shape effective responses. Through closer engagement
between researchers and decision-makers, the symposium seeks to support
policies grounded in evidence, informed by international experience and
responsive to Oman’s economic priorities.

The
opening sessions featured economists and experts from HSBC Middle East, who
examined the global economic outlook and its implications for Oman and the
wider region. Discussions covered growth prospects, inflation, monetary policy
in major economies and the outlook for the US dollar, alongside the
opportunities and risks arising from changing global financial conditions.

Specialised
sessions presented research undertaken by CBO economists and through
collaboration with external experts. Topics included the transmission of US
interest-rate changes to Oman under the rial’s peg to the US dollar; the
propagation of economic shocks across key domestic sectors; and the
implications of oil-price volatility for the CBO’s foreign reserves.

These
areas of research address practical questions central to policy effectiveness:
how international monetary conditions influence domestic financing; how
pressures in one sector spread through the economy; and how external
developments affect reserve resilience. By deepening understanding of these
relationships, the CBO aims to strengthen its capacity to assess risks,
evaluate policy responses and support informed national economic decisions.

Dr.
Qais Issa Al Yahyai, Chief Economist at the CBO, highlighted the symposium as a
key outcome of the Bank’s Research Enhancement Project. The project focuses on
improving the quality, relevance and impact of economic and financial research,
while strengthening its contribution to the CBO’s policy and advisory functions.

—Ends/AG