A team of Japanese experts will formulate a 25-year master plan for the development of a national road network on behalf of the Omani government.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is the overseas developmental assistance arm of the Japanese government.

The master plan will cover all the regions of the Sultanate (except Muscat Governorate) and will identify the need for new highways, carriageways and secondary roads covering the breadth of the Sultanate, as well as suggest improvements to the existing road network.

JICA experts will also identify the developmental potential of the different regions of the Sultanate and accordingly formulate a road network development plan. They will also survey and inventory the existing network, forecast future traffic demand, and undertake a rough cost estimation of road construction and improvement.

The study will cover the Batinah, Sharqiyah, Dakhliyah, Dhahirah and A1 Wusta region, as well as Dhofar and Musandam governorates.
Work on the 14-month project is expected to begin during January 2004. A final report will be submitted to the Omani government by April 2005. The project will also contribute to the transfer of technology into Oman, as Japanese specialists work side-by-side with Omani counterparts in formulating the master plan.