Muscat – On January 11, 2020, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik pledged to continue to shape Oman in the new era which he has fulfilled as is evident following the testimonies of citizens and expatriates in the sultanate who have expressed confidence in his leadership that is taking the sultanate forward.

Since the very first day of his rule, His Majesty the Sultan has exerted sincere efforts to set up a new phase of Oman’s renewed Renaissance that will meet the requirements of the upcoming period and fulfil the aspirations of the Omani people as well as preserve the achievements that took place in the last five decades.

“This is what we have resolved to execute, God willing. We will march forward on this road so that Oman can attain and maintain the prominent place in which His Majesty Sultan Qaboos wished to position it and for which he stayed vigil to realise that goal. He was granted success in his endeavours,” His Majesty the Sultan said in his first speech on January 11, 2020.

Addressing the sheikhs of South Sharqiyah at Hisn A’Shumookh castle in Manah recently, His Majesty the Sultan reviewed issues of concern on the domestic front. “Oman is pressing ahead with its development plans and programmes in all fields, despite the challenges, with the prime objectives of realising sustainable growth and furnishing a prosperous present and future for all people, wherever they may be on this benign land,” he said.

Amid the ongoing pandemic, His Majesty the Sultan had issued a Royal Order to form the Supreme Committee to tackle COVID-19 and study mechanisms to handle developments resulting from the illness. The committee has been doing all that it can to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

In a personal gesture to support the efforts to tackle the pandemic, His Majesty the Sultan donated RO10mn to a fund established for the purpose of confronting COVID-19.

During the past two years, His Majesty the Sultan issued several directives, including one to expedite the implementation of the National Unified E-Government Portal to serve as a composite platform incorporating all government services. He also gave directives to top government officials and governors to hold regular meetings, in the presence of walis, with sheikhs, dignitaries and citizens in their respective wilayats to study the need of services and development projects in their wilayats and heed their opinion on service plans and programmes.

His Majesty the Sultan has over the past months taken a number of steps for the implementation of Oman Vision 2040 which was launched at the beginning of January 2021 for execution in four consecutive plans beginning with 10th Five-Year Development Plan (2021-2025).

On the foreign front, His Majesty the Sultan reaffirmed Oman’s foreign policy, which is based on good neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation with all. His Majesty the Sultan also reiterated the sultanate’s principle of neutrality and non-intervention in the internal affairs of others.

In his first public remarks as head of state, His Majesty the Sultan promised to uphold his predecessor’s foreign policy. “We will follow the same line as the Late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, and the principles that he asserted for the foreign policy of our country, of peaceful coexistence among nations and people, and good neighbourly behaviour of non-interference in the affairs of others.”

Based on the national priorities of Oman Vision 2040, His Majesty the Sultan called for channeling of all efforts and resources for the realisation of goals and programmes of fiscal balance, the development of legal instruments for investments, the streamlining and acceleration of government services, the development of economic zones and the implementation of major projects, besides upgrading national expertise. All this will be linked to the employment of citizens being a top national priority.

In this context, His Majesty the Sultan underlined the government’s constant keenness to pursue five-year plans aimed at achieving the goals and priorities of Oman Vision 2040.

Within the framework of reviewing state-owned companies and improving their performance, His Majesty the Sultan issued Royal Decree No 61/2020, directing the establishment of Oman Investment Authority (OIA), as a unified investment body comprising investment, monitoring and executive entities. The establishment of OIA marks a significant step that will contribute to augmenting investment revenues and improving the sultanate’s international credit status.