The Omani government has signed five partnership for development (PFD) agreements with leading international firms during the course of 2015, revealed the Omani Authority for Partnership for Development (OAPFD) in a report.

The announcement came following OAPFD’s first board of trustees’ meeting under the chairmanship of Dr Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry, added the Oman Daily Observer report.

The meeting reviewed the authority’s 2015 annual report by Dr Dhafir al Shanfari, CEO of OAPFD.  Besides focusing on the authority’s achievements of 2015, the review also highlighted its plans for the current year centring on organisational matters, the PFD programme implementation process, and current and future projects.

The five PFD agreements aim at supporting the diversification of the national economy, enhance the nation’s military and security capabilities, strengthen the private sector, and promote human resource development and knowledge transfer in Oman.

The company’s involved include: US defence contractor and industrial corporation Raytheon; Finland-based Marine Alutech which is a leading designer and manufacturer of fast patrol boats in Northern Europe; US-based Bell Helicopters Textron Inc, a leader in aircraft industry; US-based Lockheed Martin International, one of the world’s premier companies in the aerospace, defence, security and technology industry; and Turkish firm FNSS Savunma Sistemleri AS, a leading manufacturer and supplier of tracked and wheeled armoured combat vehicles and weapon systems, added the report.Oman,