The 11th of January coincides with the anniversary of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik assuming the reins of power in the Sultanate of Oman, succeeding the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimour.

The anniversary, which constitutes a historic date in Oman, epitomises that unanimous stance of Omanis who, on this day in 2020, welcomed their monarch, pledging loyalty and allegiance to him.

Since he assumed the reins of power in Oman, His Majesty the Sultan called upon all citizens to continue to safeguard the achievements of the renaissance and work for the elevation of the status of this country, so that its people would have a better life – with Oman Vision 2040 serving as a roadmap for all aspirations.

His Majesty the Sultan upholds the Omani traditions of citizens’ solidarity with their leaderships. He continues to meet citizens from all governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, acting from his deep conviction in the significance of directly interacting with the public and listening to opinions and proposals that serve the interests of the country and its citizens.

The State’s modern institutions keep pace with Shura (consultation) and democratic action, namely the Council of Oman, with its bicameral chambers of State Council and Shura Council, and municipal councils in different governorates of the Sultanate of Oman.

His Majesty the Sultan introduced a comprehensive vision enshrined in legislations like the Basic Law of the State, the Governorates and Municipalities Affairs System (law), as well as action programmes, including Oman Vision 2040, which targets a set of national priorities such as health, education, research, innovation, economic diversification, fiscal sustainability and governance of the State’s Administrative Apparatus.

The citizens take pride in the positive results emanating from the tangible measures undertaken to address the challenges of the Renewed Renaissance led by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, whose prudence played a great role in tackling all difficulties.

On the economic side, the Medium Term Fiscal Balance Plan (2020-2023) continued to deliver a positive outcome in its second year, including the reduction of the 2021 deficit, control of public spending, cutting down public debt and augmenting the Central Bank of Oman reserves in foreign currency. One of the outcomes was that global credit rating agencies amended Oman’s status to ‘stable’ and ‘positive’.

This is in addition to the creation of a social security system designed to maintain a suitable standard of a decent life and the alleviation of the impacts of the current stage.

The need to address the repercussions of the Covid-19 called for the formation of a Supreme Committee tasked with tackling the impacts of the pandemic and handling its economic fallouts. As a result, internationally approved antivirus vaccines were endorsed and applied to protect citizens and residents in the benign land of Oman.

His Majesty the Sultan’s emphasis on cooperation with all countries is a clear indicator of the constant state of Omani foreign policy based on advocating the cause of international peace and security, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and encouraging dialogue and peaceful settlement for regional and international issues.

Over a span of 49 years, the late Sultan Qaboos laid solid foundations for the renaissance in Oman. He established a basic infrastructure that earned accolades from the international community. To name a few of his achievements, Sultan Qaboos initiated a social and economic system based on justice. The best way to eternalise the good deeds of the late Sultan is to preserve his achievements and build on them.