Muscat, February 11 (ONA)--- The State Council Economic Committee today held its fifth meeting of the first annual sitting of the fourth term under the chairmanship of honorable Eng. Salim bin Hamad al Kimyani, Committee Chairman.

      During the meeting, the committee discussed the working papers on the topic “Investment atmosphere in the Sultanate,” “Reality and Development Horizons,” besides a number of topics listed on its agenda.

---Ends/KH

World Youth Ship Arrival

     Muscat, February 11 (ONA)—Arrival of the World Youth Ship “Nippom Maru,” was celebrated  at Sultan Qaboos Port today. The ship with more than 300 youth on board represent 13 countries including the Sultanate. 

    The ceremony was held under the auspices of Rashad bin Ahmed al Hinai, undersecretary of the Sports Affairs Ministry. He explained in his speech that the arrival of the ship in the Sultanate is evident of the deep relations between the Sultanate and Japan, indicating that the World Youth Ship tour is one of the international programmes that the Japanese Government was keen to organize to activate the friendship and understanding ties between the Japanese youths and the world youths.

      On his turn, Saleh bin Abdullah A’Zedjali, Head of the Omani Association of the World Youth Ship said, “The Sultanate’s participation in the ship tours started in 1989/1990 indicating that the voyage takes two months during which it will visit a great number of ports. 

     On the other hand, the Ministry of Sports Affairs prepared a three-day programme to the World Youth Ship, which includes visiting museums and the archeological sites and Muscat Festival and the Wilayat of Nizwa. 

    The ceremony was attended by Saud bin Salim al Balushi, undersecretary of the Education Ministry for Educational Planning and Human Resources Development, the Japanese ambassador to the Sultanate, a number of officials and a group of the ship previous members from the Sultanate.    

--- Ends/Kh

     Muscat, February 11 (ONA)--- The three-day first strategic planning workshop for medical specialties in the Sultanate commenced at Grand Hyyat Muscat hotel today (Monday) under the auspices of Rajha Bint Abdulameer Bin Ali, Tourism Minister. 

    Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed al Futaisi, Executive President, Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) said while addressing the opening ceremony at the workshop that the aim of the workshop is to discuss and propose trends, vision and the proposed tasks in relation to the medical specialisations in the Sultanate.

     In addition, it aims at reaching national strategy agreed upon by all parties concerned to use the "strategic planning" which has become a widely used term.

     In many developing countries, including the Sultanate, we find that the increasing population growth, the sustained change in the epidemiological map, the emergence of new disease patterns, which were not existent in these countries before, are some of many factors that impose the need for highly skilled and trained medical professionals, he added. On his part Dr. Hussein bin Mohammed al Furaihi, Secretary- General of the Saudi Medical Specialties Board highlighted the Saudi experience in the field of medical training.

     The workshop included a number of lectures on the current status for medical specialties in the world from the World Health Organization's (WHO) perspective, analysis of the points of weakness and strength in light of the global phenomena, international variables, the current and future number of students at the colleges of medicine and health sciences, the most important criteria in selecting those students in addition to the current and future medical specialisation needs at the Ministry of Health and Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and the Ministry of Defence.

     Representatives from WHO, the Saudi Medical Specialties Board, Royal College of Australia, Ministry of Health, SQU, Ministry of Defence, Royal Oman Police, Oman Medical College, private health institutions, in addition to 200 members of the approved scientific committee of OMSB.  

    The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Ali bin Mohammed bin Moosa, Minister of Health, undersecretaries, officials at OMSB and health professionals working in the Sultanate.

--Ends/MS/

     Muscat, February 11 (ONA)---Petroleum Development of Oman (PDO) today organized its annual press conference on the company's performance and achievements in 2007.

     Nasser bin Khamis al Gashmi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas delivered a speech in which he highlighted the importance of oil and gas sector in the contemporary world as it plays an important role in shaping economic policies, and setting development priorities for most countries of the world.

     Oil and gas sector is still maintaining its status as a major source for development in the Sultanate with the contribution of the sector to the state revenue in 2008 expected to reach 88%. The added value for the oil activities will grow by 5.5% due to the expected increase in production rates from 710,000 bpd in last year to 790,000 pbd in 2008, in addition to the current price rise of crude oil at the international markets, he added. The oil sector will continue to lure more capital investments. 

    The developments at the international oil markets have their positive impact as regarding availing the resources for more investments in the different production sectors including oil and gas, al Gashmi furthered.

     “Despite of the relative increase in services and raw-materials prices, a number of important projects were implemented in 2007. The oil and gas investments are expected to constitute 23% of the state investment expenditure this year, a 12% growth compared to last year, he continued.

     Although the geology of the Sultanate's oil reservoirs is complicated and needs facing many operational challenges, more than 20 companies are operating in oil exploration in the Sultanate including companies which have been contracted in 2007, he added.

    Al Gashmi highlighted the role played by PDO in developing this vital sector during the last four decades especially it is the oldest and biggest oil and gas explorer and producer in the Sultanate. The company contributes 80% of the Sultanate's oil and oil condensates' production in addition to the bulk of the Sultanate’s production of natural gas and liquefied gas.  

   On his part, John Malcolm, PDO General Manager said that the company last year unveiled the exploration of new oil reservoirs in “Badour” oilfield, North East of the Sultanate. Moreover, large quantities of oil were found in a rock formation in “Rabab” oil field South East of the Sultanate, he added.

     “Badour” oilfield, North East of the Sultanate, produces 5800 bpd. A third oil well has been dug in the same region, which will contribute to the production of the company. In 2007, PDO discovered large quantities of gas in a number of fields in the Sultanate, which will increase the Sultanate's gas production.  

    Malcolm affirmed that the discovery of such oil and gas reserves will help in materializing the aims to make off for the quantities produced every year with new reserves, he concluded.

     After this the undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas and PDO G.M. answered the questions and inquiries by journalists on the company and the future of oil and gas in the Sultanate during the coming period.

---Ends/MS/

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