Sultanate of Oman will celebrate 52nd National Day on November 18. Omani people will mark renewed renaissance and its glorious reign under leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, who affirmed his constant quest to advance Oman’s modern cultural and economic status and his keenness to make Omani citizens as true partners in their country’s comprehensive development.

His Majesty Sultan’s vision for future of this benign land reflected positively on integration of government departments with private sector establishments and civil society institutions. This has in turn brought about tangible results in different social, economic and political fields.

Serving country’s supreme interests, restructuring of Council of Ministers, efforts exerted to improve government performance, establishment of Supreme Judicial Council, enhancing role of governorates constituted major step in achieving modern approach to decentralise local administration, decentralisation to streamline service procedures for citizens, an objective underscored by His Majesty among major aims.

His Majesty stressed importance of coordination among units of States’ Administrative Apparatus and governorates, acceleration of electronic transformation, interconnection among governorates to streamline procedures, facilitate execution of transactions, develop quality of government services and address existing challenges.

A decision was issued to add two new wilayats to Oman’s administrative division namely by according status of ‘wilayat’ to both ‘Al Jabal Al Akhdar’ and ‘Sinaw’, raising total number of wilayats in Oman to 63. Decision was aimed at attracting investments, developing resources and upgrading services and activities in two wilayats.

Royal-meet-the-people gatherings affirm His Majesty Sultan’s sincere desire to implement decentralisation and make it most straightforward administrative application for future in Oman’s governorates. New administrative setup offers governors and governorates direct authority to run their internal affairs, including planning and implementation of missions.  Much hope is pinned on elections of municipal councils, due to be held on December 25 for local voters and December 17, 2022 for citizens voting from abroad. Tasks of municipal councils keep pace with Royal vision of His Majesty Sultan and role that councils are expected to undertake.

Sultan’s emphasis on interaction between governors, municipal councils, Oman Investment Authority and Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry assumes special significance. Interaction gains more impetus after Governorates Development Programme’s allocations were increased to RO 20 million and addition of new development projects to previous projects endorsed for implementation during rest of 10th Five Year Plan (2021-2025) whose worth exceeding RO 650 million in different sectors.

Last January, Oman implemented ‘System of Individual Performance and Institutional Proficiency” in 57 government institutions. System covers about 175,000 government employees aims at generating quantum leap in government performance by enhancing efficiency of human resources and improving level of government services.

Government Digital Transformation Programme is an executive arm of a digital economy and a basic enabler in achieving priorities of Oman Vision 2040.

Indicators for measuring performance of programme include raising percentage of automation of government services from 34 percent in 2020 to 80 percent by 2050, with expected investment volume for implementing programme set at RO 170 million, which will be invested in improving procedures, re-engineering government services, improving digital infrastructure and empowering national competencies in field of digital transformation.

Sultanate of Oman attached great importance to protecting environment and preserving its various natural resources. His Majesty endorsed year 2050 as date for achieving zero carbon emissions. Oman Sustainability Centre based on outputs of Carbon Management Laboratory.  His Majesty issued directives to expedite development of an early warning system and implement best urban planning methodologies to limit impacts of climatic conditions, disasters and related endemic.  National Natural Park Reserve in Musandam Governorate is aimed at achieving sustainable development by preserving natural resources, sustaining biodiversity and protecting wildlife and geological diversity.

Presence of Omani women in all fields and their impressive contribution to Oman’s comprehensive development constitutes a direct outcome of attention and care that women have received. This was confirmed by Her Highness Honourable Lady Assayida Ahd Abdullah Hamed Al Busaidi, spouse of Sultan of Oman on Omani Women’s Day, which falls on October 17.  HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth also stressed that Omani women showed their mettle over time as essential partners in Oman’s march prosperity, as desired by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.

His Majesty accorded attention to establishment of Omani women’s societies and rehabilitation centres for people with disabilities, both governmental and private in all governorates of Oman.

His Majesty is following up efforts made by government to care for young people and highlight their contributions. HH Sayyid Theyazin stressed “Youth are among most important pillars of Oman Vision 2040, which seeks to achieve sustainability and prosperity for present generation of Omanis and future generations.” Addressing citizens of Oman, His Majesty affirmed need to adhere to principles and values of society and to be proud of their identity, “core component of our personality”.

His Majesty stressed openness to world must be “in a balanced, clear-cut manner. We have to interact with technology positively, lest we might lose our originality or forget our identity”. “Upbringing of children does not take place through social networks. Raising children is an essential part of origin of Omani society. “ His Majesty underscored role of education and vocational training sector in supplying labour market with skilled national human resources. He called for aligning technical education and general education tracks so that outputs from general education (technical specialization) would benefit from Education and Vocational Training Programmes. System works towards converting acquired knowledge into innovative applications that can be turned into commercial projects and registered as property rights and thereby be entitled to receive partial funding that enable them to embark on entrepreneurial ventures.

Oman has exerted efforts to cut down the period of intellectual property registration and change its registration mechanism to allow beneficiaries to register global intellectual property from Oman. These efforts coincide with national programmes that contributed to transforming graduation projects into start-ups. Oman’s efforts have become model in developing ways to finance nascent companies of all sizes and needs. This is accomplished through various programmes, including direct financing, business accelerators programmes and business incubator programmes that gave rise to business incubators in various governorates, besides merging a number of institutions to form Industrial Innovation Academy.  Oman presses ahead with approach charted by His Majesty to implement economic measures and streamline procedures.  During this year and until end of August 2022, Sultanate of Oman was able to pay off loans and replace some high-cost bonds with low-cost ones valued at more than RO 4 billion. It also cut down size of public debt by about RO 2.4 billion as at end of August 2022, to stand at RO 18.4 billion, thanks to government measures taken to support economic recovery.

Ratio of public debt to GDP decreased to 46.5 percent. This enabled government to diminish public debt risks and reduce cost of public debt interests to be paid in future by about RO 127 million, besides improving credit rating and other benefits to consolidate economic growth. To keep pace with global transformations in field of green hydrogen and allocate appropriate sites for its production will enhance foreign investment opportunities, localise this technology and benefit from its multiple uses to produce electrical energy and provide thermal energy for local industries.

To lend support to low-cost clean energy solutions, Ibri Solar Energy Project opened last January 2022 as first solar power plant to be connected to main electricity grid with aim of diversifying sources of renewable energy, maximizing contribution of clean energy projects, boosting national economy and attracting investments. Fitch agency’s raising Oman’s credit rating and Moody’s amending country’s future outlook from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’, while at same time fixing rating at Ba3 confirm Omani government’s commitment to implementing government measures within framework of Medium-Term Fiscal Plan to control financial conditions and benefit from rise in oil prices.  Foundations upon which Omani foreign policy is based notably good neighbourliness, respect for sovereignty of states, non-interference in internal affairs, positive cooperation, mutual interests, justice, dialogue, humanity and support for international peace and security have made Sultanate of Oman a reliable international partner at local and global levels. At 77th session of United Nations General Assembly, Oman reiterated that its solid political approach is based on deep and stable vision and vast experience derived from its heritage and human history. 

A number of state leaders visited Oman, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of United Arab Emirates, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, President Abdel Fattah el Sisi of Arab Republic of Egypt, President Ebrahim Raisi of Islamic Republic of Iran, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of United Republic of Tanzania and Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi President of Zanzibar.  Oman promoted principle of humanity in its foreign policy and played an active role in serving contemporary issues regionally and internationally, most notably realising truce in Yemen that paved way for safe return of detainees to their countries.  Oman also stressed need to establish stability and prosperity for all nations and peoples on basis of justice and equality. Sultanate of Oman believes that realisation of fair and comprehensive peace in Middle East requires establishment of Palestinian state on all its lands occupied since 1967.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 21 2022

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