Oman aims to be investment destination for blockchain

Oman aims to be investment destination for blockchain

Oman is hosting a major blockchain symposium in Muscat, in a bid to make the country an investment destination for blockchain companies.

Organized by various ministers and state institutions, it is the first event of its kind in the country to raise awareness about blockchain and accelerate its adoption. The institutions behind the conference, which aims to attract around 700 delegates, include the Office of Science, Knowledge, and Technology Transfer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce and Trade, Central Bank of Oman, the Capital Markets Authority.

They will discuss the impact blockchain will have on the local economy. Prominent domestic and international speakers will talk about the application of blockchain technologies in the banking and financial industry, the government and public sector, in entrepreneurship and innovations, and more. They will explain how the new technology uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, IoT, and augmented reality to completely change many sectors of the economy.

Keynotes at the conference include:

  • Bringing the Swiss Phenomenon to Oman: Daniel Haudenschild, CEO, Swisscom Blockchain AG
  • Blockchain as a future disruptive technology: Monty Metzger, founding partner, Digital Leaders Ventures, San Francisco
  • Blockchain in banking – putting blockchain into practice: Jeremy Wilson, member, Global Future Council on Blockchain, WEF; and vice-chairman, Barclays Corporate Banking
  • How would blockchain revolutionize and optimize current logistics and supply chain processes? Leanne Kemp, founder &CEO, Everledger

The Omani government is committed to diversifying the national economy by focusing on creating new employment opportunities in growing industries – which will be a major theme of the symposium. The event is expected to raise awareness amongst relevant authorities of the multiple technology applications of blockchain architectures – as well as to position their institutions in a pioneering or governing role from a crypto-governance standpoint.

The global promotion of Oman as an enabling business environment for international blockchain companies is also part of the scope of the conference.

Hence the Blockchain Symposium will be divided into two main modules – the first part focused on conceptualizing a national blockchain framework, through interactive dialogue between the more than 700 local senior participants. The second part is a technical retreat with selected groups to conclude with possible implementation plans for selected pilot projects.

The conference is taking place from the 6th to the 9th of November 2017. The full program is here.

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