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Oman’s GDP Grows by 7.4% in Q1

Oman’s GDP at current prices increased by 7.4% at the end of Q1 2023. (ONA)
Oman’s GDP at current prices increased by 7.4% at the end of Q1 2023. (ONA)
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Oman’s GDP Grows by 7.4% in Q1

Oman’s GDP at current prices increased by 7.4% at the end of Q1 2023. (ONA)
Oman’s GDP at current prices increased by 7.4% at the end of Q1 2023. (ONA)

Oman’s GDP at current prices increased by 7.4% at the end of Q1 2023, according to the preliminary data issued by the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI).   

The NCSI report revealed that Oman’s GDP at current prices stood at 10.4 billion riyals ($27 billion) in Q1 2023, up from 9.7 billion riyals ($25.1 billion) in the corresponding period last year.  

The growth in GDP was led by the growth of the non-oil sector, which expanded by 6.7%, reaching 7.2 billion riyals ($18.7 billion) at the end of Q1 2023, compared to 6.5 billion riyals ($17 billion) during the same period in 2022.   

This increase was also supported by the growth of oil activities with 6.1% at the end of Q1 2023, amounting to 3.585 billion riyals ($9.2 billion), compared to 3.379 billion riyals ($8.7 billion) at the end of Q1 2022.   

Crude oil activities grew by 6%, recording 3.8 billion riyals ($996.7 million), while natural gas activities increased by 6.5%, recording 500.6 billion riyals ($1.2 billion).   

The total industrial activities recorded a growth of 4.6%, reaching 1.9 billion riyals ($4.9 billion).   

The activities in agriculture, forestry, and fishing recorded a growth of 8.4% from 215.7 million riyals ($558.5 million) to 233.900 million riyals ($605.7 million).   

Meanwhile, the service activities recorded a growth of 7.4%, from 4.533 billion riyals ($11.7 billion) to 4.869 billion riyals ($12.6 billion).   

Moreover, the total credit granted by banks in Oman increased by 4.9% according to an analysis of the activities of traditional commercial banks from April 2022-April 2023.   

The report issued by the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) showed that credit granted to the private sector increased by 4.9%, to reach 24.4 billion riyals ($63.1 billion) at the end of April 2023.   

With regard to the investment item, the total investment of conventional commercial banks in securities witnessed a sharp decline of 15.4%, reaching about 4.4 billion riyals ($11.3 billion) at the end of April 2023.   

Investments in foreign securities increased by 8.5% to reach 900 million riyals ($2.3 billion) at the end of April 2023.   

On the liabilities side, total deposits with conventional commercial banks increased by 4.1% to reach 22.2 billion riyals ($57.4 billion) at the end of April 2023.   

Within the total deposits, government deposits with commercial banks increased by 10% to about 5.5 billion ($14.2 billion), as well as deposits of public sector institutions which increased by 10% to about 1.5 billion riyals ($3.8 billion) during the same period.   

Private sector deposits increased by 2.2% to reach 14.7 billion riyals ($38 billion) in April 2023, constituting 66.5% of total deposits with conventional commercial banks.  

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Saudi EXIM Hosts Global Risk Experts Meeting in Riyadh

The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA
The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA
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Saudi EXIM Hosts Global Risk Experts Meeting in Riyadh

The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA
The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA

The Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi EXIM) hosted the Berne Union's Country Risk Specialist Meeting, providing a platform for experts and thought leaders in risk management from the export credit community.
At the meeting, which took place from November 19 to 21 in Riyadh, the attendees exchanged best practices to better protect the industry amid shifting global dynamics.
According to a statement issued by the Saudi EXIM on Saturday, the event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions.
By strengthening institutional resilience, the industry is ready to turn global economic challenges into opportunities for economic prosperity, said the statement, adding that it played a crucial role in advancing global trade, strengthening international cooperation, and developing credit solutions that empower export activities while controlling risk, SPA reported.
According to the statement, discussions centered on critical risks impacting international trade and the global economy, such as debt sustainability and geopolitical tensions, along with innovative approaches to risk modelling. Participants also explored the global shifts in infrastructure, energy and critical minerals sectors, and were given an overview of Saudi Arabia's National Industrial Strategy, which focuses on economic diversification through investments, developing new sectors, and promoting local industries.
In his opening remarks, Saudi EXIM CEO Eng. Saad bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalb said the meeting is an ideal platform to address risks impacting global economic decision making.
He stated: "Through such meetings, we can turn challenges into strategic opportunities and enhance our resilience in an ever-changing world. At Saudi EXIM, we remain committed to enabling companies by offering expert financial and non-financial solutions to navigate risks effectively."
He also said that "at Saudi EXIM, we place great emphasis on risk management. In alignment with the main objective of this meeting, I am pleased to announce the completion of our independent country risk model, which is supported by advanced modelling tools and machine learning. This model will provide country ratings and predictions of default risks. We look forward to collaborating with our partners in other export credit agencies to exchange knowledge and expertise, and to strengthening our risk management functions with greater responsibility and effectiveness."
Associate Director at Berne Union Eve Hall said: "The global risk landscape today is highly volatile and highly interconnected. As we navigate our way around the ongoing transformations connected to energy transition and shifting industrial strategies, the traditional concept of 'country risk' is becoming increasingly complex. Our industry excels at understanding, quantifying and pricing these risks, and by bringing together this community of experts for technical exchange the Berne Union is able to help support the development of the industry as a whole. The initiatives announced by our colleagues at Saudi EXIM, making use of new technology in risk analysis, provide a fantastic example of where collaboration in this field can be effectively applied."
The statement disclosed that Saudi EXIM's membership in Berne represents a significant strategic step, and is consistent with the Kingdom's commitment to expanding collaboration and integration in the global economy.
This is achieved by building partnerships with leading institutions to address the challenges facing the export credit sector. It also aligns with the bank's goal of developing the export of national products and services through partnerships with national and international financial and funding organizations.
Berne Union works with global trade organizations to encourage the adoption of best practices in export credit insurance, and to cooperate in maintaining the stability of global trade.
Saudi EXIM, a development bank under the National Development Fund, contributes to diversifying the Kingdom's economic base by improving the efficiency of non-oil export ecosystems, bridging financial gaps, and minimizing export risks. This plays a role in helping the non-oil national economy grow, in line with Vision 2030.