(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) UK wants to play a direct role in helping Oman confront its future challenges like youth unemployment H E Jonathan Wilks Britain's Ambassador to Oman has said.
H E Wilks who was speaking on the sidelines of the UK Education Expo recently said that the main challenge facing Oman was youth unemployment.
"I've learnt [in the past four months] that the most important issue facing the country is youth unemployment and getting young Omanis into productive jobs a lot of which have to be in the private sector' he said adding 'And that requires training and education.' He also said that there are around 2000 Omani students studying in Britain and that the country would like to invite more Omanis to study there.
"We would like to welcome more Omanis to study in the UK. I want Britain to be Oman's main partner in education.' H E Wilks said that British companies are also playing an important role in various other sectors of Oman's economy. 'British companies have a presence in all the big sectors that are expanding in the economy. You need to train Omanis to be able to run these sectors and I want Britain to be number one in that.'
He said British companies have a presence in oil and gas banking construction training and education sectors. Tourism minerals downstream industry fisheries and logistics are other sectors of the economy that are growing. "We all know there are sectors of the economy that are promising and due to expand but we have to make sure those jobs are taken by Omanis and not just the expats. That's the big challenge' he said.
'So we want to be ready now to train and prepare Omanis for those jobs in the future.' But he said true success in developing the workforce required proper planning. "We need a strategic approach to the economy and then enter into new partnerships with countries like Britain and its companies that have the expertise to make this happen. We have trust and confidence in the vision for the country the next five years and the 2020 and 2040 vision' he said.
He said the UK was well-positioned to take up the mantle to partner with Oman given its close relationship. 'There are other countries that will be a part of it as well but since we know the country well we should be leading the way and encouraging others as well. Oman can draw on the experience of many countries.'
HEWilks who assumed his ambassador position in Oman recently said "The experience has been good on all sides.'
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