A'dhahirah: The branch of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) in A'Dhahirah Governorate, the Office of the Governor of A'Dhahirah, and Oman Logistics Center at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology organized today a workshop on the challenges facing the logistics sector, with the participation of a number of representatives from government entities, the private sector, and businesspeople in the governorate. According to Oman News Agency, the workshop discussed ways to enhance cooperation with government entities and the private sector, identify challenges and opportunities in the logistics sector, and formulate practical initiatives that contribute to raising the competitiveness of A'Dhahirah Governorate as a regional logistics hub serving neighboring governorates. It also aimed to enhance the efficiency of the sector and elevate the level of logistics services to contribute to achieving comprehensive development. Eng. Awadh Salim Al Sudairy, Assistant Director Genera l of Oman Logistics Center, stated that A'Dhahirah Governorate has a distinctive strategic location, making it an important logistics gateway due to its proximity to land border crossings, notably the Empty Quarter crossing connecting Oman with Saudi Arabia. He added that the governorate possesses promising potentials for developing logistics service projects that contribute to creating added value and boosting trade, transport, and services related to the sector. He added that the logistics sector is one of the vital economic sectors supporting economic diversification, noting that investments in the sector have reached approximately RO 3.4 billion, while its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached RO 2.35 billion. Meanwhile, the value of re-exports in the Omani market stood at RO 2.1 billion, and the value of imports reached RO 17.2 billion, reflecting the pivotal role of the sector in supporting trade, investment, and economic development. Al Sudairy emphasized the importance of enhancin g integration among various relevant entities to develop the logistics ecosystem and leverage the potentials of A'Dhahirah Governorate to support economic growth and attract investment. The workshop's programme featured a visual presentation on strategic projects in A'Dhahirah Governorate, along with a training program presented by Abdulmajeed Mubarak Al Balushi, Logistics Operations Specialist at Oman Logistics Center. During the program, he highlighted the center's competencies, programs, and initiatives aimed at developing the logistics sector in the Sultanate of Oman and enhancing its contribution to the GDP. The workshop concluded with a discussion session that addressed the most prominent challenges facing the logistics sector in A'Dhahirah Governorate, alongside reviewing available investment opportunities and proposals to develop services and infrastructure related to the sector.