Muscat: The Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (ASMED) today announced the launch of ‘Oman Crafts’, the National Programme for Craft Industries. ‘Oman Crafts’ emerges as a strategic system to upgrade the craft industries’ sector in the Sultanate of Oman, activate the sector’s role in supporting the national economy, empower Omani craftspeople, and consolidate the presence of the Omani cultural identity in the global arena.
According to Oman News Agency, the programme stems from ongoing efforts to implement the goals of Oman Vision 2040, notably by supporting culture-related industries, enhancing the sustainability of handicrafts-based small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and establishing an integrated system for training, marketing, and financing of SMEs.
The programme aims to enable the Omani crafts sector to become a global role model in enhancing economic sustainability and attracting national talent. This objective is envisaged to be achieved through the empowerment of Omani craftspeople, supporting innovation in their respective vocations, developing their skills, and enhancing integration among entrepreneurship.
The National Programme for Craft Industries seeks to achieve several strategic objectives, including empowering craftsmen and building national capacities in productivity and innovation. It also focuses on improving product quality, developing craft value chains, enhancing competitiveness, and marketing craft products locally and internationally.
Additionally, the programme emphasizes utilizing modern technologies and innovation in developing the crafts sector. It aims to establish an integrated infrastructure that includes incubators and specialized business centres, develop a legislative and institutional environment that supports craft industries, and enhance the sustainability of the craft industries sector by linking it to cultural and tourism identity.