Sultan of Oman presides over annual meeting of Council of Oman

Sultan Qaboos emphasizes enforcement of justice imperative, inevitable

Oman's Majlis Al Shura studies Sultan Qaboos's speech, uses it as basis for its work

Oman joins Inter-Parliamentary Union

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on Oman presided over the annual meeting of the Council of Oman on the Council premises in Al Khuwair.

Addressing the opening session, His Majesty said: "It is a blessing of God that deserves our many thanks and appreciation that we meet year after year in this blessed Council, through which we look forward - with full confidence and hope - to realizing more achievements for a stable and secure Oman, with God's blessings and guidance." His Majesty the Sultan affirmed that he would spare no efforts to provide the citizens all the help they would need to develop and hone their skills.

"We will also provide educational opportunities for them so that they may acquire useful knowledge, the required experience and the necessary technical skills that will be needed in the labor market and as are required by the sustainable development programs in the various fields".

His Majesty the Sultan explained that he was closely monitoring the important steps being taken to develop the skills and abilities of the citizens in the IT and communications sector, which is considered the engine behind growth in this millennium, and also further developing e-governance.

His Majesty the Sultan called upon on all government institutions to enhance their performance by applying digital technology in order to usher the Sultanate into the constantly evolving spheres for applying knowledge.

Commenting on the government's performance during the past period, His Majesty stressed the need for constantly revising the state's administrative system.

He also affirmed that placing public interest over and above any other consideration was one of the main pillars of any sustainable development.

His Majesty also emphasized that enforcement of justice was imperative and inevitable.

"Our monitoring apparatus is alert and dedicated to carrying out their duties and responsibilities in order to safeguard the country's achievements".

As for the economic situation currently being experienced by the world, His Majesty the Sultan said: "The policies adopted by our government over recent years have contributed - praise be to God - to averting the effects of this situation affecting our economy".

"In this regard we confirm the continuation of the development and building policies in accordance with the endorsed plans. We also affirm the need to diversify sources of income and the need to put in more efforts in this respect. It is also necessary to look to secure the benefits of alternative energy sources and to seek ways to achieve food security as much as possible," His Majesty added.

He affirmed that cooperation with the world would highly benefit the world as well as bring security and welfare to other countries in the world.

His Majesty also pointed out that the Sultanate joining the various international and regional groupings was aimed at positively contributing to all efforts that bring about welfare for all of the humanity in an effective manner.

His Majesty the Sultan also welcomed Their Majesties and Highnesses, leaders of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council states to the forthcoming AGCC Summit scheduled to be held in Muscat, and prayed to the Almighty to make this brotherly gathering a success, and to grant the council further progress in its endeavors.

The annual session of the Council of Oman was attended by a number of their Highnesses, chairmen of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, ministers, advisers, commanders of armed forces, Royal Oman Police, senior military and civil officers, members of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, heads of the diplomatic missions in the Sultanate, a number of sheikhs and dignitaries, editors-in-chief of Oman News Agency (ONA), local newspapers as well as editors in chief and representative of Arab and foreign media.

Abdulrahman Salim Al Ateiqi, special envoy of Kuwaiti Emir His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, arrived in Muscat carrying a written message to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said from Sheikh Sabah. He was greeted on arrival by Dr Mubarak bin Saleh Al Khadouri, special adviser of His Majesty the Sultan, and Shamlan Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Roumi, Kuwait’s ambassador to the Sultanate.

Brigadier Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, commander of the Republican Guard and special forces and envoy of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, also arrived in Muscat on a visit to the Sultanate, during which he will convey a message to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said from Ali Abdullah Saleh, president of the Yemeni republic. The guest was received upon his arrival by Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al Rowas, His Majesty the Sultan’s adviser for cultural affairs; and Abdulrahman Khamis Ubaid, Yemeni ambassador to the Sultanate.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Isa’ee, chairman of the Majlis Al Shura, opened the first session of the Majlis’s second annual term on the Majlis premises in Muscat.

At the beginning of the meeting, Isa’ee congratulated His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on the occasion of the 38th National Day, appealing to Allah to grant His Majesty a long life to lead Oman’s victorious march towards further progress and prosperity.

"You had the honor of listening to His Majesty the Sultan’s speech at the inaugural of the second session of the fourth term for the Council of Oman at which His Majesty affirmed the importance of the continuing efforts to yield more achievements for a stable and secure Oman in the comprehensive development programs," Isa’ee said at the outset of his speech to members of the Majlis Al Shura.

He also stressed the fact that the royal speech and its contents ‘should be thoroughly read by the Majlis Al Shura to be the basis for its work in the coming period.

The first session of the sixth term for the Majlis Al Shura has witnessed good activity that has been reflected in raising a number of studies to His Majesty the Sultan and the Council of Ministers. He pointed out that the Majlis Al Shura had studied a number of issues that would hopefully contribute to the development efforts in the Sultanate and would be tangible by the Omani nationals in the near future.

"The Majlis Al Shura has received before days the proposed state budget for the year 2009, which was referred from the Council of Ministers. The Majlis Al Shura’s specialized committees are currently making in-depth study of the draft budget so that remarks and proposals can be submitted later on," he continued.

"The Majlis Al Shura closely monitors the sudden economic changes that have negatively affected a number of countries of the world. It had meetings with respective officials in the government to know the financial status of the Sultanate," he added in his speech.

"The Majlis Al Shura joining the International Parliamentary Union during October 2008 and the great welcome it received represents an important step that will double the responsibility of the Council towards enhancing its parliamentary relations with different parliaments of the world."

"The second annual term will be full of activities as the Sultanate will host the meeting of the chairmen of the AGCC parliaments in December, the AGCC women’s parliamentarian conference in December 2008 and the meetings of the Arab parliaments in February 2009," he said, adding that he hoped such meetings would be crowned with success. During its second annual session, the Majlis Al Shura has forwarded invitations to a number of ministers to deliver the statements of their ministries before the members of the Majlis Al Shura.

Muscat Majlis al-Shura bureau held its 1st regular meeting of the second annual sitting for 2008/2009 under the chairmanship of HE Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Isa’ee, Chairman of Majlis al-Shura.

The meeting approved minutes of previous meeting and reviewed follow-up implementation of the bureau’s decisions.

The Majlis al-Shura bureau also reviewed contents of the Royal Speech by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said before the Council of Oman (Majlis Oman). It focused on the Royal Speech’s directives to activate the role of the State’s Administrative Apparatus and care about human resources as a basic pillar in national work.

The bureau also reviewed the food security since it presents one of the vital themes focused on by His Majesty in his Royal Speech in the light of the economic crisis witnessed by the world.

The meeting also discussed accountability, the necessity to activate laws that highlight the importance of faithfulness, work responsibility away from personal interests, which the Royal Speech touched on. It also discussed developing governmental performance and technology.

The office took some procedures and laid down work mechanisms to reflect contents of the Royal Speech of His Majesty the Sultan.

The Majlis office also looked into a number of replies sent by a number of government ministries and departments. The meeting discussed comments of the Services and Local Communities Development Committee on the annual report of the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources.

The International Parliamentary Union (IPU) Council has approved unanimously the Sultanate’s Majlis Al Shura joining the IPU, in its 183rd meeting, which began at the International Conferences Centre in Geneva.

Pier Ferdinando Casini, president of the IPU and chairman of the 183rd meeting of the IPU Council, welcomed the decision. He also welcomed participation of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Isa’ee, chairman of the Majlis Al Shura, and his delegation, in the meeting. Sheikh Isa’ee expressed his thanks and appreciation and that of his delegation to all who helped the Sultanate joining the IPU. Isa’ee also expressed his pride to take part in this major event that denotes the sincere desire to cooperation in international parliamentary work. He said the Omani democracy is deep-rooted in history. The tangible progress witnessed by the Sultanate in this prosperous reign of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has turned this Omani legacy into a new pattern without forgetting to maintain the past heritage, he stressed.

The state’s Consultative Council was established in 1981, and ran for 10 years, and then was followed by the Majlis Al Shura set up in 1991 whose members are elected directly by citizens.

The Majlis Al Shura’s sixth term election was conducted by the end of 2007, he added. In his speech, Sheikh Isa’ee said that the world is experiencing critical conditions in our modern history. Spread of war and destruction, in various regions and the recurrence of continuous adverse weather conditions had led to scarcity of water and food, increased the number of job seekers and spread of epidemic diseases. These conditions were worsened by the world economic crisis whose negative impacts had affected all countries, he added.

The Sultanate’s delegation, led by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Isa’ee, chairman of the Majlis Al Shura, took part in the meeting of the Arab delegations attending the International Parliamentary Union’s General Assembly meetings in Geneva.

The meeting welcomed the Sultanate’s joining the IPU, based on the Sultanate’s prestigious status at regional and international arenas besides its efforts in establishing stability, peace and development worldwide.

The meeting also discussed the topics listed on the agenda of the IPU’s General Assembly, including parliaments’ role in banning non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, climate change issues, freedom of expression and right of access to data.

The meeting also proposed listing the global financial crisis and its implications on the IPU’s General Assembly agenda.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Isa’ee met at the IPU headquarters Anders B. Johnsson, secretary-general of the IPU.

Sheikh Isa’ee expressed the Sultanate’s thanks for supporting the Majlis Al Shura’s application to join the IPU and the Majlis’s keenness on cooperating with the IPU in line with the Sultanate’s policies aimed at establishing pillars of friendship and peace with countries of the world and cooperating with the regional and international organizations and parliaments.

On his turn, Anders B. Johnsson praised the wise policy of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and his agreement for the Majlis Al Shura to join the IPU membership and its importance to exchange expertise between the Majlis Al Shura and the IPU.

Anders welcomed Sheikh Al Isa’ee and the delegation accompanying him, wishing them a successful participation in the meeting.

He appreciated the Sultanate for granting Omani woman the rights for nomination and election for the Majlis Al Shura equally as men as well as her effective presence in the State Council.

Sheikh Isa’ee signed the visitor’s book at the IPU headquarters. Then, he exchanged commemorative gifts with the IPU secretary-general.

The meeting was attended by Yahya bin Salim Al Wahaibi, Sultanate’s permanent representative in Geneva and members of the accompanying delegation.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Isa’ee, Chairman of Majlis al-Shura, who is currently visiting Geneva to attend the 119th Meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s General Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, met Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Isa’ee expressed the Sultanate’s gratitude for supporting the Majlis al-Shura’s application to join the IPU.

Majlis al-Shura’s keenness to co-operate with the IPU in line with the Sultanate’s policy aimed at establishing pillars of friendship and peace with countries of the world and co-operate with regional and international organizations and parliaments.

Johnsson praised the wise policy of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said and his agreement for Majlis al-Shura to join the IPU membership and its importance to exchange expertise between Majlis al-Shura and IPU.

The IPU’S secretary-general welcomed Isa’ee and his delegation wishing them a successful participation in the meeting.

He appreciated the Sultanate for granting the Omani women the rights for nomination and election for Majlis al-Shura as equally as men commending at the same time, her effective presence in the State Council.

Isa’ee signed the visitor’s book at the IPU headquarters and then, he exchanged commemorative gifts with the IPU Secretary General.

The meeting was attended by HE Yahya Bin Salim Al Wahaibi, the Sultanate’s Permanent Representative in Geneva and members of the delegation.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Isa'ee, Chairman of Majlis al-Shura, met Dr Ali Larijani, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, on the sidelines of the IPU General Assembly in Geneva.

Larijani congratulated Isa’ee for joining the IPU, praising the strong Omani-Iranian relations and the enlightened vision of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said and prominent role in dealing with crisis experienced by the Gulf region and maintaining its security and stability.

Al Isa’ee stressed the importance of the historical relations between the two countries, citing their civilization, cultural and religious dimension and the economic interest for both countries. He called for the development and enhancing these relations to serve the interest of the region and its nations.

The meeting was attended by HE Yahya Bin Salim Al Wahaibi, the Sultanate's Permanent Representative in Geneva and the accompanying delegation.

Meanwhile, Sayyid Badr Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defense Affairs, received General Liang Guang Li, Member of the Central Committee, State’s Adviser and Minister of Defense in the People’s Republic of China, and his accompanying delegation currently visiting the Sultanate, at Mua’skar Bait Al Falaj.

An official session of talks was held between the two sides. It was attended from the Omani side by Lt-Gen. Ahmed Bin Harith Al Nabhani, Chief of Staff of Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF), and from the Chinese side, the delegation accompanying the minister and the Chinese ambassador to the Sultanate.

The meeting reviewed the good relations between the two friendly countries, especially, in the defense field and ways of enhancing them.

Later in the day, General Liang Guang Li and his delegation visited the SAF museum.

The delegation accompanied by Commodore Salim Bin Ali Al Farsi, Head of Military Protocols and Public Relations, toured the museum’s various sections during which they viewed Bait Al Falaj Castle and its architectural arts besides manuscripts and historical models, which depict the Omani history.

The Chinese guest and his accompanying delegation were briefed on the progress entertained by the SAF during the prosperous rule of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

The Chinese guest signed the visitor’s book expressing his delight for the magnificent structure heritage in the Sultanate.