Salalah: The Labour Forum 2025, hosted by the Ministry of Labour, formally began on Sunday at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Compound for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah.
Over 1,000 people from both Oman and other countries, representing government and private entities, academic institutions, and regional and international organisations, attended the event. The conference will last 12 days.
The opening ceremony was hosted under the supervision of Dr. Mahad Said Ba'awin, Minister of Labor.
The forum serves as a national platform for productive conversation on the future of Oman's labor market.
It will present and debate 33 working papers that address important concerns and possibilities, as well as showcase innovative local and international experiences and practices.
The event has strategic ties with a number of local groups, including the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the General Federation of Oman Workers, educational institutions, and the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones.
It also has global allies, including the Arab Labour Organization, the Arab Administrative Development Organization, and the Executive Bureau of the GCC Labour and Social Affairs Ministers Council.
Nasser Salim Al Hadhrami, the Director General of Labour in Dhofar Governorate, gave a speech underlining the need of staying current with worldwide labor market developments.
He noted Oman's forward progress in this sector, which included the implementation of the new Labour Law and Social Protection Law, as well as the development of integrated strategies incorporating education, training, employment, and contemporary work patterns.
In his address, Mohammed Hassan Al Abidly, Director General of the GCC Labour and Social Affairs Ministers Council's Executive Bureau, emphasized that rapid economic, technological, and environmental change provide problems that need joint efforts to build skills, develop employment models, and provide social protection in order to achieve an effective and fair response.
Meanwhile, Azar Bayramov, Director General of the Islamic Cooperation Labour Center, addressed the center's function in fostering cooperation between governments, employees, and employers, as well as delivering capacity-building initiatives for member countries.
He advertised a special training session on effective leadership in occupational safety and health in Oman following the conference.
The forum seeks to promote innovation and professional growth by showcasing the newest labor market technology and innovations, improve the work environment, and develop labor policies in line with economic, technical, and social changes, as well as strengthen international cooperation through the exchange of experience and knowledge.
The event continues until August 14 and includes a showcase of student projects from vocational colleges, an open meeting between the Minister of Labour and business owners, a Future of Work Forum, a Government Transformation and Sustainable Leadership Conference, and a trainthetrainer program on occupational safety and health leadership.
This forum is in line with the Ministry of Labour's efforts to design labor market regulations and anticipate future developments in accordance with Oman Vision 2040.
It promotes cooperation across sectors and combines perspectives for long-term economic and social development.
