The launching of the 4G LTE network marks another giant leap for the Sultanate, which has been taking rapid strides on the road to development in the last few years. Without any doubt, it will revolutionise the way the Internet is used, with unprecedented broadband speed. And this will benefit thousands of people in different areas of the country, including the Sultan Qaboos University campus, Mawaleh, Al Khoudh, Al Khuwair and Ruwi in Muscat governorate and Buraimi and Khasab. In course of time, this facility will be available to most people in all parts of the country. All this proves that the Government of the Sultanate is for introducing the most innovative products and services and this comes at a time when Omantel is investing heavily in extending broadband coverage and increasing speed.

In recent years, the Sultanate has been moving ahead with its policy of comprehensive development. The launching of the 4G LTE network comes within the purview of this policy. In many other areas too, the country has been taking rapid strides and this is evident in the large number of industries being set up. A case in point is the ship maintenance facility in Duqm, which will certainly change the industrial scenario in the country and result in a major shift in emphasis towards the non-oil sector. This is understandable as there are limits to the development of the oil sector. Yet another example of the importance being attached to the non-oil sector is the industries being developed in Sohar. In course of time, other parts of the country will also benefit from the government’s policy of industrialisation, which has been undertaken for a number of reasons in both the oil and non-oil sectors. One of them is to increase the volume of exports. Yet another reason is to provide jobs for the increasing number of youth graduating from the various schools, universities, colleges, and technical education institutions. Last year, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said ordered that 50,000 jobs should be given to Omanis in the private and public sectors. As this target was achieved, the government has set a new target for providing 30,000 jobs to the youth this year. There is no doubt that this target will also be met. In the coming years, thousands more will enter the job market and only massive industrialisation can provide them all jobs.

The Sultanate has a long way to go before it can claim to be a developed nation. But the reality is that steps towards this goal are being taken with determination, after careful planning. This is in accordance with the desires of His Majesty the Sultan, who has wanted to ensure the maximum development for the country ever since the beginning of the Blessed Renaissance. And there’s little doubt that this goal will be achieved with the cooperation of the loyal and hardworking citizens.