ASMED Organizes Dialogue Session on Banking Services that
Support SMEs

Muscat, 21 May (ONA) — The Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (ASMED) today organized a dialogue session in Muscat on banking
services that support small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The session discussed policies and legislation supporting
banking services, licenses required to provide these services and factors that
support the sector, like partnership and training programmes, incentives,
incubators, business accelerators and financing.

In particular, the session stressed the importance of
partnerships between banking institutions and SMEs and means to identify major
challenges that limit performance. A total of 149,219 from different
governorates had been registered under the banner of ASMED by the end of March
2025. Of those, 27,611 had obtained an Entrepreneurship Card.

The session was part of a programme conducted by ASMED to promote
public-private sector partnerships and enable SMEs to meet challenges, achieve
sustainable growth and enhance the entrepreneurship climate.

The dialogue session was attended by Halima Rashid
Al Zar’ee,Chairperson of the Authority for Small and Medium
Enterprises Development (ASMED), Rashid Zayid Al Ghassani,
Deputy Chairman for Supervision and Regulation at the Central Bank of Oman, and
officials, specialists and representatives of small and medium enterprises.

— Ends/Bishara/AG