10 November 2009
More than 600 services offered by 23 state agencies are currently available to citizens and residents online, round-the-clock – at the click of a button, and the list is growing.
The Sultanate’s official eGovernment Services Portal – www.oman.om – was launched at a glittering ceremony at the beach-side garden of the Al Bustan Palace Hotel on Sunday night by senior royal family member and Minister of Heritage and Culture Sayyid Haitham bin Tareq Al Said.
Several ministers and VIPs were present to witness the dawn of a new era of electronic transactions in the country, also marking a new milestone in its ambitious goal of becoming a ‘Digital Society’.
The new bilingual (Arabic and English) portal, designed as a customer-centric model, can be accessed by anyone, anytime, anywhere through the web and mobile devices. Users can avail of multiple government services from a single window and the response to their enquiries and requests is instantaneous.
Sunday’s show included skits beautifully depicting the transformation from the traditional to the modern, electronic way of government-public dealings – long queues and days, sometimes weeks and months, of wait being replaced by instant action.
“This important national project, which ushers in a new era of digital practice in the Sultanate, is in keeping with the national aspiration to build a digital society steered by eGovernment services,” said Mohammed bin Nasser Al Khusaibi, Chairman of the Information Technology Authority (ITA), which is spearheading the e.Oman drive.
The portal caters for all individuals in Oman, including citizens, residents, businessmen and visitors. It empowers the public to electronically interact with government organisations, enabling easy access to services relating to personal affairs, immigration, health, education, culture and entertainment.
For businessmen, it paves the way to electronically deal with government agencies, bringing several services related to investing in Oman, employee regulations, trade documents, free trade zone contacts and relevant policies and regulations within easy reach.
And the portal caters to visitors planning a tip to the country by providing comprehensive information on tourist attractions, accommodation, visa procedures and investment opportunities.
The contents have been designed to accommodate visually challenged users according to W3C international accessibility guidelines.
ITA CEO Dr Salim Sultan Al Ruzaiqi said the launch of the portal was a “giant step forward in the desired digital transformation of the Omani society”.
