Quest for comprehensive development

... facilitate the execution of transactions, develop the quality of government services and address the existing challenges.

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

MEET THE PEOPLE

His Majesty the Sultan’s keenness to hold direct meetings with shaikhs and dignitaries of Oman constitutes a strong manifestation of the leader’s keenness to get firsthand knowledge about citizens’ needs, despite the existence of public institutions such as the Council of Oman — a legislative monitoring body — and municipal councils, which undertake developmental and service roles in their respective wilayats.

The meet-the-people gatherings affirm His Majesty the Sultan’s sincere desire to implement decentralisation and make it the most straightforward administrative application for the future in governorates.

EJADA

Last January, Oman implemented the “System of Individual Performance and Institutional Proficiency” (Ejada), which aims at quantum leap in government performance and improving the level of government services.

The Government Digital Transformation Programme is an executive arm of a digital economy and a basic enabler in achieving the priorities of Oman Vision 2040. It contributes to the establishment of a flexible and innovative government apparatus based on principles of governance and providing highquality performance and smart government services.

ZERO EMISSIONS

The Sultanate of Oman has attached a great importance to protecting the environment and preserving its various natural resources. His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik endorsed the year 2050 as a date for achieving zero carbon emissions. A national plan prepared for this objective includes the establishment of Oman Sustainability Centre, based on the outputs of the Carbon Management Laboratory. This serves as a major step that aims at diminishing the impacts of climate change, striking a balance between sustainable development and effects of climate change, establishing a knowledge-based economy, benefiting from clean technology to achieve sustainable development and developing a diversified mix of energy sources.

His Majesty the Sultan issued directives to expedite the development of an early warning system and implement the best urban planning methodologies to limit the impacts of climatic conditions, disasters and related epidemics. This affirms the attention accorded by His Majesty the Sultan to the human being — Omani citizens and expatriates alike.

Royal Decree No 54/ 2022 establishes the National Natural Park Reserve in Musandam Governorate. The park is the first one of its kind in Musandam Governorate and 22nd in Oman.

WOMEN’S ROLE

The presence of Omani women in all fields and their impressive contribution to Oman’s comprehensive development constitutes a direct outcome of the attention and care that women have received. This was confirmed by Her Highness the Honourable Lady Assayida Ahd Abdullah Hamed al Busaidi, Spouse of the Sultan of Oman, on the occasion of Omani Women’s Day, which falls on October 17. It reflects the achievements the women have made in all fields and in different practical and scholarly sectors.

His Majesty the Sultan also accorded attention to the establishment of Omani women’s societies and rehabilitation centres for people with disabilities, both governmental and private, in all governorates of Oman, so that all could play their roles in domestic development. His Majesty the Sultan gave directives to provide appropriate financial support to those institutions and develop them. The result was that the Omani Women’s Societies Development Laboratory launched 19 empowering and investment initiatives, with a set of themes in mind to achieve progress. The themes include governance, the application of laws and legislation, a supportive environment, funding and investment.

ROLE OF YOUTH

His Majesty the Sultan is following up efforts made by the government to care for young people and highlight their contributions. On the occasion of the Omani Youth Day, HH Sayyid Theyazin stressed that “youth are among the most important pillars of Oman Vision 2040, which seeks to achieve sustainability and prosperity for the present generation of Omanis and the future generations.”

Addressing the citizens, His

Majesty the Sultan affirmed the need to adhere to the principles and values of society and to be proud of their identity, “the core component of our personality”. He added that the national identity constitutes one of the pillars of the history of this benign land, given the impacts of technology and information revolution on the world, including the spread of negative thoughts and alien customs.

His Majesty the Sultan stressed that openness to the 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”, His Majesty explained.

He added that “The upbringing of children does not take place through social networks. Raising children is an essential part of the origin of Omani society. The success of the community lies in the fact that our children get imbued with our customs and traditions and adhere to the family and society.” In this context, His Majesty the Sultan commended the effective role of Omani media in preserving and documenting Omani culture.

BUSINESS INCUBATORS

Oman’s efforts have become a 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 the Industrial Innovation Academy. The academy will transform knowledge into innovative project.

As a result of these efforts, Oman occupied 10th place globally in the education segment of the Global Innovation Index 2022. The ranking advanced Oman by 34 places over last year. Oman also ranked 19th in the Business Policies Index.

Oman presses ahead with the approach charted by His Majesty the Sultan to implement economic measures and streamline procedures. This was achieved despite the economic impacts brought about worldwide as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and other global crises. On top of these measures was the medium-term Fiscal Balance Plan (2020-2023), which proved practical through the results it achieved, supported by the 10th Five-year Plan (2021-2025) in line with Oman Vision 2040. This approach was emphasised by His Majesty the Sultan who expressed his satisfaction with the positive change in the course of the state’s financial performance and Oman’s ability to meet its financial obligations.

During this year and until the end of August 2022, the 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 the size of the public debt by about RO 2.4 billion as at the end of August 2022, to stand at RO 18.4 billion, thanks to government measures taken to support economic recovery.

The ratio of public debt to the GDP decreased to 46.5 per cent. This enabled the government to diminish public debt risks and reduce the cost of public debt interests to be paid in the future by about RO 127 million, besides improving the credit rating and other benefits to consolidate economic growth.

The increase in added value in oil and non-oil activities at the end of the second quarter of 2022 contributed to the growth of the GDP value at current prices by 30.4 per cent, touching RO 20.4 billion, compared to RO 15.6 billion at the end of the corresponding quarter in 2021.

CLEAN ENERGY

To lend support to low-cost clean energy solutions, Ibri Solar Energy Project opened last January 2022 as the first solar power plant to be connected to the main electricity grid with the aim of diversifying sources of renewable energy, maximising the contribution of clean energy projects, boosting the national economy and attracting investments.

His Majesty the Sultan’s directives to add more than RO 650 million to implement additional development projects over projects already endorsed in the 10th Five-year Plan 20212025 and his Royal instructions to increase fiscal liquidity for budget allocations by RO 200 million will contribute to promoting economic growth, completing infrastructure, supporting private sector activities and providing more employment opportunities for citizens.

Fitch agency’s raising Oman’s credit rating and Moody’s amending the country’s future outlook from “stable” to “positive”, while at the same time fixing the rating at Ba3 confirm the Omani government’s commitment to implementing government measures within the framework of the Medium-term Fiscal Plan to control financial conditions and benefit from the rise in oil prices. This enhances the confidence of investors in the stability of Oman’s investment climate and the ability of the country to fulfil its obligations. It also affirms the strength of the banking sector.

The foundations upon which Omani foreign policy is based — notably good neighbourliness, respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in internal affairs, positive cooperation, mutual interests, justice, dialogue, humanity, and support for international peace and security — have made the Sultanate of Oman a reliable international partner at the local and global levels.

Oman’s status among entities that are active in resolving regional crises and the country’s presence at international events related to this matter is a direct outcome of the soundness of its foreign policy foundations. At the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Oman reiterated that its solid political approach is based on a deep and stable vision and a vast experience derived from its heritage and human history. Oman also affirmed that the pillars of its foreign policy are standing on solid grounds of truth and justice, boosted by positive cooperation and ties of friendship with all, with the prime aim of contributing to the consolidation of international peace and security.

FOREIGN POLICY

The vision of His Majesty the Sultan is based on Oman’s maintaining positive cooperation with all in various spheres and in a manner that promotes mutual interests. The results of the vision were manifest in His Majesty’s visits to a number of countries, including the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the United Kingdom and Federal Republic of Germany.

A number of state leaders visited Oman, including Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, King Abdallah II of Jordan, President Abdel Fattah el Sisi of Egypt, President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, and Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar. The visits culminated in signing of partnerships and memoranda of understanding, as well as executive programmes in investment, trade and other areas.

Oman also promoted the principle of humanity in its foreign policy and played an active role in serving contemporary issues regionally and internationally, most notably realising the truce in Yemen that paved the way for the safe return of detainees to their countries. Oman also stressed the need to establish stability and prosperity for all nations and peoples on the basis of justice and equality.

Oman believes that the realisation of a fair and comprehensive peace in the Middle East requires the establishment of a Palestinian state on all its lands occupied since 1967. Oman stressed its rejection of all forms of systematic violations, expansionist domination and arbitrary arrests of Palestinians.