Muscat: Dr. Abdullah Nasser Al Harrasi, Minister of Information, has underscored the effective contribution of Omani youth towards the preparation of Oman Vision 2040.

In a statement to the Oman News Agency (ONA), the minister said that freedom of expression and diversity of opinion are guaranteed – which is a testimony to the liveliness of society and its resourcefulness, and it reflects the desire of all, including youth, to take part in developing performance across all sectors.

The Minister made the statement as he attended the 15th Government Outreach Gathering held at the Ministry of Education today. The forum brought together operators of media and communication departments of government units.

“In recognition of the significant role of youth, His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik has issued Royal directives to government departments to reach out to youth, hold meetings with them, engage them, listen to their opinions and study their concerns and aspirations,” said Dr. Abdullah.

He added that His Majesty the Sultan affirms that all opinions are respected and studied to make ideal use of them in developing government performance.

“Despite the harshness often observed in some messages circulated in social media, a vivacious patriotic spirit and absolute allegiance to this nation and its leadership constitute the common feature of all these exchanges, without exception. The communications express a strong desire for the improvement of performance and removal of hurdles that come in the way,” said Dr. Abdullah.

The minister ruled out any clash between Oman Vision 2040 and the Fiscal Balance Programme, which, he said, was set to handle a temporary situation undergone by the Sultanate in the wake of the collapse of oil prices.

He added that different countries of the world were impacted by the negative COVID-19 circumstances that prevailed in the global economic arena.

Dr. Abdullah then pointed out that economic conditions in the Sultanate are progressing to the best, notably after overcoming the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy and on the private sector. He valued the various types of support and incentives made by the State to alleviate the impacts of the pandemic.

The minister explained that the gathering was, in the first place, a forum for exchanging views in a collective manner about the reality of the situation and about action to be undertaken.

This is in addition to the formulation of recommendations for the improvement of communication among segments of society, particularly youth who, he said, are ‘the cornerstone of the present and the future and who shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding the gains of the nation and its prospects of progress into wider horizons’.