PDO signs 14 agreements to fund social investment projects
MUSCAT: Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has signed 14 agreements to finance a number of social investment projects, with a total value of approximately RO 4.4 million.
The signings took place on the sidelines of Oman Sustainability Week and the Oman Petroleum & Energy Show 2025, currently being held at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The funding agreements cover diverse projects across multiple sectors, including education, health, environment, water, and community infrastructure development—reflecting the company’s steadfast commitment to sustainable development and enhancing national competencies.
Dr. Aflah Said Al Hadhrami, Managing Director of PDO, stated that these agreements embody the company’s integrated approach to creating tangible social impact and strengthening partnerships with national institutions to support sustainable development.
He emphasized that these community projects reflect PDO’s deep understanding of its role within society and its responsibility toward individuals, aligning with the goals of Oman Vision 2040 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
In the education sector, PDO signed an agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation to support a new cohort of its Community Scholarship Programme for the 2025–2026 academic year. The programme will provide 150 fully funded scholarships for students from the company’s concession area—85 for diploma studies and 65 for bachelor’s degrees.
In a joint initiative with Sultan Qaboos University, PDO will co-fund the establishment of Oman’s first Emerging Technologies Unit, supporting over 20,000 students annually and more than 3,000 graduation projects in fields such as artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and cybersecurity.
The company remains focused on education as a top priority, supporting five development programmes in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, namely Ma’rifa (Knowledge), Ta’zeez (Empowerment), Tamayuz (Excellence), Khubrat Al Amal (Work Experiences), and the Engineering Village Camp. These initiatives aim to enhance students’ career readiness, foster innovation, and broaden their global perspectives.
Additionally, PDO will fund preparatory classrooms in two schools within its concession area to support early education and invest in future generations.
In the health sector, PDO—in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Daleel Petroleum—will expand the emergency department at Ibri Hospital, which serves over 50,000 patients annually, increasing its capacity. The company will also fund a new health centre in Andat, Dhofar Governorate, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, to serve nearby villages and energy sector workers, improving healthcare access in remote areas.
To promote environmental sustainability, PDO is collaborating with Nama Water Services to establish a desalination plant and distribution network in Al-Ghubra Al-Janubiya, the Wilayat of Al-Jazer, providing water to over 300 residents.
The company is working with Al-Jisr Foundation and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to establish a camel cheese production facility in the Wilayat of Rakhyut, empowering over 4,000 camel owners and creating income opportunities in this new economic activity.
Additionally, PDO signed an agreement to provide further support for the camel racing field in Muqshin, Dhofar Governorate.
Other agreements include funding defensive driving training for 580 ambulance drivers in collaboration with the Royal Oman Police, supplying advanced equipment for the Water Technologies Laboratory at Sultan Qaboos University, and contributing to the final phase of the Bahla Cultural Centre—a community and cultural hub in A’Dakhiliyah Governorate.
PDO will finance 20 youth skills development programmes under the Youth Centre 2025 initiative, targeting over 4,000 Omani youth. It will also support the Musta’ed (Ready) programme, implemented by Outward Bound Oman, which aims to empower 500 young men and women as part of ongoing efforts to enhance youth capabilities.
The signing ceremony was attended by HH Dr. Fahd Al Julanda Al Said, Vice Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University, along with several undersecretaries, governors, and senior officials from the respective sectors.
Date: 13 May 2025
Source: ONA
