Omani entrepreneur Qais Al-Khonji has been named ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year Oman’ by Business Worldwide Magazine, a leading global publication.

A popular figure amongst Omani's business and political elite, Al-Khonji is known for his lobbying of government officials to provide policies aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship, said the magazine.

He even arranged the inclusion of entrepreneurship as a subject in the national school curriculum, and insists that it will encourage youngsters to look beyond the typical confines of government or private industry when they leave school, it added.

Al-Khonji, 37, hopes to be able to help foster a nation of aspiring individuals to go on and develop sustainable businesses and by doing so, grow the economy of Oman as a whole.

At eight per cent, the country's current unemployment rate is higher than its neighbours of a similar stature. However, thanks to improvements in the country's transport industry and the development of three ports and two international airports, Oman's tourism sector is expected to flourish over the next few years - and opportunities for new business grow.

He is the owner of two companies: Qais United Enterprises Trading and Genesis International (the latter involving a research unit).

Al-Khonji said: “Certainly I'm delighted to receive this reward. Not just for myself but for the fact that it is validation that more needs to be done to create opportunities for entrepreneurship in Oman.

"I can speak from personal experience when I say starting up your own business where there is no organised structure for entrepreneurs to rely on can be extremely daunting, and yet the idea of being able to fund and lead your own company is incredibly empowering and liberating,” he said.

“Entrepreneurship is certainly something I believe we should be encouraging the next generation to focus on here in Oman, especially if we want to be a stronger and more independent country in years to come,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service