(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat- The Information Technology Authority (ITA) is developing a 2030 strategy which will help plan smart cities, Dr Salim bin Sultan al Ruzaiqi, its chairman said at the Smart City Summit Oman on Wednesday.
Dr Ruzaiqi said the strategy is expected to be completed by the end of the year. 'The plan for our e-Oman strategy is going to work towards looking at what are the new initiatives, what are the new jobs that are going to be valid for the country in the years to come, and what are the jobs that are going to be...with the artificial intelligence, with all those technologies that we are bringing to the country,' he said.
The ITA strategy will provide policies and regulations based on its seven pillars, which include security, infrastructure, e-government, and society development. Dr Ruzaiqi said that the strategy would have large impact on other government departments.
'The responsibility to deliver services actually lies with government agencies. They are the service providers,' he said. He said new smart cities include a logistics city near Muscat, Duqm, and Madinat al Irfan (which includes Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre).
He emphasised the role of entities such as Oman Broadband Company (OBC) in providing the infrastructure for these cities. 'We are going to build new cities. That's why we have OBC, which has been set up to put in the right infrastructure.' In a prototype smart city, municipal services such as lighting, traffic lights, garbage disposal and building management would be driven by technology. At the summit, experts said telecom and broadband companies, will play an important role in building the infrastructure to make the city possible. They emphasised the need for collaboration.
'It shouldn't be one way. It should be bi-directional and also partnering down to make sure we bring together in the fold, we build an ecosystem of SMEs, of smaller, more dynamic business of the private sector,' said Fadi Nasser, advisor to the CEO at Omantel. Ian Dench, CEO, Ooredoo said the growth of smartphones means there is already a solid base for smart cities. 'Already people are used to using smart services,' he said.
Said al Mandhari, CEO, OBC agreed that the infrastructure is being developed well. 'The main requirements for a smart city is there,' he said.
Logistics City Oman is building a new logistics city around Halban which will host the University of Oman, Dr Ruzaiqi said. The University of Oman is currently in the project phase. On the sidelines of Smart City Summit Oman, he said the city would also host a science and technology park.
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