MUSCAT : The Board of Directors of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) held its third meeting for the year 2023, chaired by His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Chairman of the Board, at OPAZ headquarters in Muscat.

During the meeting, the Board of Directors approved the general framework of OPAZ’ annual plan for 2024 and its affiliated zones, which will be submitted to the Council of Ministers. The meeting touched on a number of subjects, including the regulation of electricity sector in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) between the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Zones and the Public Services Regulatory Authority. The Board also approved unifying usufruct fees for lands allocated to companies providing services in SEZAD and directed OPAZ Management to study the possibility of applying the same in all affiliated zones, in coordination with the zones’ management.

The Board of Directors, further, discussed the requests submitted to extend the exemption period from paying usufruct fees for some local companies in the zones supervised by OPAZ and actions were taken accordingly.

It is noteworthy that the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) was established as per the provision of the Royal Decree No. (105/2020), issued on August 18, 2020. OPAZ oversees the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, free zones in Sohar, Salalah and Al Mazunah and any other special economic zone or free zone. It also oversees the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn) as per the provision of the Royal Decree No. (53/2022), and Khazaen Economic City, as per the provision of the Royal Decree No. (44/2023) establishing the City.