A separate office for speeding up the process for issuing licences for strategic projects that involve investment exceeding OMR10 million has been set up by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The office, in coordination with a number of ministries will specialise in following up the issuance of licences, starting with strategic projects, with an initial investment exceeding OMR10 million. Khamis Al Farsi, director general of Commerce at the Ministry, said the office aims to increase the size of private sector investments through direct contact with officials from different government bodies, which would help facilitate the issuance of investment licences. Setting up the office comes as an initial step, which will be expanded in future to include other categories, said Al Farsi, adding that he hoped everyone would cooperate with this office. (Times of Oman)