[oman-l] Re: How about starting a more serious debate

[Michael F. DAVIE]

>2) What can be said on the current and projected world-vision of the
>Sultanate, and especially the cities, in the context ofthe  Globalization
>of the economy?
>How does the Sultanate see itself fitting in to the World Economy,
>especially in the context of fierce competition of the Gulf States?
>

>With regards to your above questions to the list, I thought I would
>attempt to give my thoughts to question no 2. I do hope that others will
>do so..Any comments on my thoughts below from list members are warmly
>welcomed.
>
>
>2) What can be said on the current and projected world-vision of the
>Sultanate, and especially the cities, in the context of the  Globalization
>of the economy?
>How does the Sultanate see itself fitting in to the World Economy,
>especially in the context of fierce competition of the Gulf States?

(...)

>Finally, Oman or Muscat as its capital city where the concentration of
>industry and business (other cities have are almost negligible at the
>moment, but perhaps Sur, Sohar and Salalah could play a larger role in the
>future) has had the bad luck of being geographically close to Dubai! This
>could be a plessing and disguise. At the moment Dubai has overshadowed
>Oman and other Gulf states in terms of attracting trade and investment.
>But if Dubai could do that from the very limited base it has, why canUt
>Oman with its better attribute? Oman could regain it's historical position
>as a trading enterport, and given the unique natural beauty could be the
>most exclusive destination in the area. Given its small but fast growing
>population Oman could develop into the higher scale of science and
>technology capturing value-added rather than following the existing (and
>ill-fated) import substitution industrial and manufacturing policy of
>others.
>
>Oman needs to think different form the rest......need not copy others
>but learn from them and be innovative... and given the limited resources,
>think hard and fast...because this is a global race  and Oman must be one
>of the winners.
>
>
>
>Abdulla

I agree that Oman's economic future is somewhat worrying. But the Omani's
world view  is no doubt more complex : how do traders and merchants see the
country, with all its advantages and disadvantages, as compared to the Gulf
States ? After all, Dubai is the equivalent of yesterday's Beirut, an
important staging-post with an "open" society (ie controlled by Western
interests), but will last only as long as the World economy (ie Western
economy, again) needs that space. Once it's usefullness is over, it can be
disposed of (see Beirut). But Oman is somewhat more complex, and its
advantages will no doubt help it survive in the post-oil era. There is also
the official world-view, which is different from that of the private
sector. What can be said about that point, and what are the major
differences between the various socio-economic actors of the country?

While the State is certainly doing its most to bring education (and higher
education) to the country, it is playing the game of the private sector.
This could be an advantage in the future survival strategies, but of course
poses the question of future relations between the citizens and the State,
or between the current power structure and its future possible
redefenitions. This is a complex problem, especially considering the
history of the country, its composition and its frontiers.

Thanks for initiating the debate.
Regards
Michael Davie
(Professor, Geography)





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Michael F. DAVIE          davie@droit.univ-tours.fr
UMR 6592 "URBAMA" (Urbanisation dans le Monde Arabe)
23 rue de la Loire,  B.P. 7521,  37075 Tours Cedex 2 (France)
Tel. : (+33) 02 47 36 84 69,  Fax. : (+33) 0 2 47 36 84 71
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