Muscat: Open data serves as the foundational element of the digital revolution, acting as the catalyst that propels artificial intelligence (AI) technologies towards their objectives. It represents a formidable instrument that empowers both institutions and individuals to innovate, make well-informed decisions, and identify lucrative investment opportunities.
Furthermore, open data plays a pivotal role in fortifying the relationship between the government and its citizens, fostering principles of transparency and trust, and propelling advancements across various sectors.
Hassan bin Fida Hussein Al Lawati, the Head of the National Program for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technologies, elucidated to the Oman News Agency that in the context of the swift digital transformation, open data has emerged as a critical element in enhancing transparency, stimulating innovation, and elevating public services. Moreover, it is instrumental in elevating the Sultanate of Oman's standing in the rankings of digital transformation and government readiness for artificial intelligence.
He elaborated, stating, "The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology is committed to encouraging government agencies to begin publishing their data and to enhance its accessibility across various sectors and fields through the National Open Data Initiative."
He further mentioned that to achieve this, the Open Data Policy was promulgated in June 2020, establishing foundational standards for open data and harmonizing the approach to the availability and publication of open data produced and collected by state entities, which are now obligated to make their data accessible for public use in research and commercial endeavors.
He highlighted that the Ministry is in the process of developing a unified platform for open data, slated for an experimental launch at the end of this year. This platform is expected to offer a vast array of open data across various fields and sectors.
Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Alawi, the Director of the Department of Development of the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technologies Programme, underscored the importance of establishing open data teams within government institutions as a cornerstone for the initiative's success. He noted that 18 such teams have been established, collaborating to ensure alignment with the National Digital Transformation Initiative and the Open Data Policy.
He added that the Ministry is conducting continuous workshops among these teams, focusing on introducing the principles of the open data publishing policy, defining criteria for evaluating government agencies in open data publishing, and establishing best practices for data classification and publication.
The Director of the Department of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technologies Development Programme confirmed that the Ministry is in the process of assessing the response of government institutions to this initiative.
It has recently released a report that covers 56 government entities, indicating that 35 have initiated the process of publishing their data in accordance with the approved standards and policies.
He highlighted that the Ministry had engaged with 28 government entities up until the second quarter of this year, aiming to encourage their adherence to and implementation of the open data policy. Out of these, 11 entities have responded to the Ministry's efforts.
