Bulgarian president commends policies of Oman led by Sultan Qaboos

Omani panel reviews eighth 5-year plan, expresses content over economic conditions

Oman, Italy discuss ways to enhance economic cooperation and regional and international coordination

Sultanate fights child abuse, urges justice and equality

GCC countries express commitment to labor rights, principles

Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov praised the wise policies pursued by Oman under Sultan Qaboos bin Said and their positive and constructive role both regionally and internationally to achieve world security and stability.

Parvanov made the statements after he received at the presidential palace in Sofia Dr. Badr bin Mohammed bin Zaher al-Hanaie, the Sultanate's accredited ambassador to the republic of Austria, who submitted his credentials as the sultanate's non-resident ambassador to the friendly republic of Bulgaria.

Hanaie conveyed Sultan Qaboos's greetings and good wishes of more progress and welfare for the Bulgarian president, government and people.

Meanwhile, the Higher Committee to Implement Five-Year Plans met under Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Premier for Council of Ministers Affairs, at the council headquarters in the Omani capital Muscat.

The meeting was held in implementation of Article 5 of the Royal Decree 1/2006 pertaining to conducting semiannual assessment of the seventh five-year plan 2006-2010 to consider domestic and international economic changes.

The Developmental Plans Implementation Follow up Committee at the State Council held its meeting under the chairmanship of Dr Ahmed Bin Khalfan Al Rowahi, Head of the Committee.

The meeting approved minutes of the previous meeting and reviewed a follow up report on implementation of its decisions. The committee also discussed the final draft assessment report on follow up and assessment performance of the economic diversification sectors during the first and second years of the Seventh Five Year Development Plan 2006-10.

The report included four chapters; the first was on horizons of the economic diversification sectors approved at the seventh development plan, the second on following up performance of the economic diversification sectors during the first and second year of the plan, the third chapter included challenges facing economic sectors in the Sultanate and the fourth chapter was on the committee’s recommendations through to achieve its envisaged objectives during the remaining period of the Seventh Five-Year Plan.

The Economic Committee at the State Council also held its meeting under the chairmanship of Eng. Salim Bin Hamed Al Kemyani, Head of the Committee.

The meeting discussed all items listed on its agenda including minutes approval of the committee’s previous meeting, the general framework of the committee’s study on consumer protection, which aims at protecting the consumer in the Sultanate, major challenges encountered in the wake of the policies and systems currently being enforced.

The committee in last May finalized its report on the Tourism Draft Law referred by the Council of Ministers and of which the State Council reviewed at its fourth general session of the second annual sitting of the fourth term held on May 19.

The 14th regular session of the second annual sitting of the Shura Council, which concluded under the chairmanship of HE Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Isa’ee, approved the joint committee’s report on the new tourism draft law after a debate by the members.

The second annual sitting for 2008-09 of the sixth term of the Shura Council also approved its draft budget for the fiscal 2010 prior to its submission to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said.

In the budget, the Shura has considered its needs that will enable it to carry out its responsibilities and observe the state’s general policy aimed at rationalizing public spending. It also approved the Council’s budget for the fiscal year 2010.

The meeting approved the report on studying the new tourism draft law, which was referred to it by the Council of Ministers, after the Council introduced some amendments.

The Council has decided to redraft the report following the amendments.

The meeting also received ministers’ responses, including the reply of the National Economy Minister and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Town Planning on developing the Al Hafah area in the Wilayat of Salalah and the reply of the Manpower Minister on the subject of Tailoring Incubators, to the Council on questions raised by the members.

Al Isa’ee in a speech stressed the debates on the joint committee’s report on the new tourism draft law should be relevant to the draft law, considering the expectations from the tourism sector for diversifying the national revenue stream.

Head of the Legal Committee and deputy head and rapporteur of the joint committee HE Saif Bin Mubarak Al Rahbi read out the report stating that the committee’s study of the draft law came as per instructions of the Shura Council chairman and the Council of Ministers.

The Legal and Economic Committees have formed a joint action team to study and revise the draft law before it’s promulgation as stipulated in the Council’s powers and duties.

He said that the committee had initiated compilation of documents and information relating to tourism sector in the Sultanate. The committee has conducted field visits and hosted a number of officials and academics and authorities concerned with the tourism sector in this regard.

He said that the committee has finalized the report after thoroughly checking provisions of the tourism draft law and after reviewing some of Arab states’ systems and contemporary legislations on organization of tourism, and after comparing the provisions of the government’s draft projects with the provisions of the enforced Tourism Law issued via Royal Decree No. 33/2002 and referring to the Shura Council report submitted to His Majesty on the integrated tourism complexes in 2008 and it’s report submitted to the Council of Ministers in 2002 on Tourism Organization Draft Law.

The Shura Council hosted Fisheries Minister HE Sheikh Mohammed Bin Ali Al Qatabi.

On the other hand, the Tender Board awarded tenders worth RO175.1 million at its seventh meeting of the year.

Separately, the board awarded a contract to assemble four giant tankers to transport iron ore, with a capacity of 400,000 tonnes and costing $121 million each.

The tenders awarded are as follows:

> Construction of Al Khoud Waste Water Network project, (Phase one) in the wilayat of A’Seeb (RO58.1 million).

> Construction of Al Khoud Waste Water Network Project (Phase two) in the wilayat of A’Seeb (RO63.71 million).

> Construction of a road from Al Zaroub Roundabout to Al Buraimi Hospital Roundabout (RO22.85 million).

> Construction of the Cardiac Centre in Salalah (RO15 million).

> Supply, installation and operation of radio transmission equipment (FM) at different locations to expand the transmission range of the Holy Quran Program (RO2.91 million).

> Supply of swine flu epidemic drugs (AH1N1) (RO1.87 million).

> Supply and installation of medical equipment for the MRI unit in Khoula Hospital (RO1.76 million).

> Rendering of consultation services for the preparation of detailed design and supervision of the contingency water tankers in Muscat Governorate (RO1.74 million).

> Supply of diesel to power plants of the Rural Areas Electricity Company (RO1.34 million).

> Rendering of consultation services for the design and supervision of the catering building at Muscat International and Salalah airports (RO1.26 million).

> Supply of vehicles to the Ministry of Education (RO8.4 million).

> Rendering of consultation services for a feasibility study and drawing and preparation of designs for protection dams against floods at the upper reaches of Wadi Hilti Salahi and upgrading of Wadi A’ahin from recharge to protection level in Al Batinah region (RO500,000).

> Additional work on the Al Ma’amourah-Taqah dual carriage road in the Governorate of Dhofar (RO494,986).

> Additional work for the construction of the Wadi Dima’ road in Al Sharqiyah region (RO449,893).

> Changing of the control system at Barka Gas Compression Station (Phase one) (RO300,000).

> Additional work of the Al Ansab waste water station and the waste water network in the wilayat of Bausher (RO293,810).

> Additional work and rendering consultation services for expansion of the external phone network of the Sultanate of Oman (RO278,899).

> Additional work for construction of the engineering department in the College of Technology in the wilayat of Shinas (RO241,509).

The board also opened other tenders, approved the issuance of change orders for ongoing projects and reviewed projects which have been referred from ministries and other government units.

In Rome, the Oman-Italy joint committee concluded its meetings last week.

The joint meetings between the private sectors of both the countries highlighted various issues of mutual concerns especially in the fields of economy, investments, heritage, higher education and tourism.

They signed a joint communiqué on the concluding day of the meeting. The communiqué specified the priorities and joint work between the two countries in the future.

On behalf of the Omani side HE Sayyid Badr Bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, Secretary-General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed the communiqué and Stefania Craxi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Asia, Middle East and Mediterranean Sea Countries’ Affairs, signed for the Italian side. The signing ceremony was attended by HE Dr Sheikh Abdulmalik Bin Abdullah Al Hinai, Undersecretary for Economic Affairs at the Ministry of National Economy and Head of the Omani delegation, HE Said Bin Nasser Al Sinawi Al Harthy, the Sultanate’s Ambassador to Italy, HE Talib Bin Miraan Al Raeisi, Chairman of the Department of Economic Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and HE Cesare Capitani, the Italian Ambassador to the Sultanate.

Earlier in Muscat, HH Sayyid Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, received Stefania Craxi, Italian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who is currently visiting the Sultanate.

Fahd welcomed the Italian guest and her delegation lauded the existing relations level between the two countries.

The meeting discussed ways of enhancing joint co-operation between the two countries in a number of fields, as well as, reviewing current issues and developments in the regional and international arenas.

The Italian guest and her delegation expressed their delight for visiting the Sultanate and the opportunity it availed to view the comprehensive development witnessed by the Sultanate in various walks of life under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said. She expressed the Italian government’s appreciation to the Sultanate’s balanced policy.

She underlined her country’s keenness to develop the Italian-Omani relations in all fields showing her satisfaction for the talks held with senior officials in the Sultanate.

The meeting was attended by HE Sayyid Badr Bin Hamad Bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry and Cesare Capitani, Italian Ambassador to Oman.

Her Excellency Dr. Sharifah Bint Khalfan Al Yahya’eiyah, Minister of Social Development, also received Stefania Craxi.

The meeting discussed issues of mutual concern, existing and future aspects of co-operation between the two countries.

Sharifah briefed the guest on the functions of the Social Development Ministry in terms of serving a huge category of the society, and rendering all services of social welfare and family development.

She also highlighted how the ministry co-operates with the non-governmental organizations in the Sultanate, such as, the Omani Women Associations with their number stood at 52 associations in various governorates and regions of the Sultanate besides the disabled associations.

Sharifah also pointed out to the co- operation between the government and private sector institutions to serve the society.

In Geneva, the Child Rights Committee at the United Nations has appreciated the Sultanate’s efforts in protecting the rights of children, and reviewed the steps taken to implement the child rights agreement, which the Sultanate ratified in 2001 and its two attached protocols, which the Sultanate ratified in 2004.

In her speech before the 51st session of the committee, Minister of Social Development and head of the Sultanate’s delegation Her Excellency Dr. Sharifah Bint Khalfan Al Yahyaeiyah mentioned the steps and procedures taken by the Sultanate to execute the two optional protocols attached with the agreement of child rights that bans children in prostitution and recommends combating all kinds of child trafficking while using them in wars.

Sharifah highlighted that the Sultanate is ready to cooperate with the committee as per the national laws and the international agreements.

“The Sultanate respects all the international charters and sticks to the principals of the international humane law as the Sultanate is the member of the UN,” Sharifah added.

Sharifah thanked the committee for its review of the Sultanate’s report about the two optional protocols and also praised the efforts taken by the committee to ensure maximum protection to the children.

Sharifah said that despite bad economic conditions in many countries, spread of poverty and ignorance, slump in development in the developing nations and disintegration of many societies and families, the Sultanate condemns all kinds of child trafficking and using them in wars or prostitution.

“The Omani society bans the illegal use of children as it is contradictory to its traditions as the Sultanate has clear standing on the issue and considers the violation of child rights as dangerous and calls for efforts to combat it,” Sharifah stated.

Sharifah also stressed on the Sultanate’s efforts in anti-human trafficking law which was issued as per the Royal Decree No. 126/2008 on 23/11/2008 and deals with the different aspects of human trafficking, including child rights and anti-child trafficking.

She also mentioned that the Sultanate has issued Juvenile Accountability Law as per the Royal Decree No. 30/2008, which deals with the best ways to rehabilitate the deprived children.

Also in Geneva, a general session was held at the Nations Palace to discuss the world follow-up report on the International Labor Organization (ILO) Declaration on Work Basic Principles and Rights which is connected with abolition of forced labor in participation of parties concerned from the world-wide.

HE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nassir Al Bakri, Minister of Manpower, delivered the joint statement of the GCC Labor Ministers Council being the chairman of the current session. He said the forum was a good opportunity for dialogue and joint cooperation to enhance basic principles and rights of work to establish international cooperation to be coupled with justice, and respect of all human rights, he added.

In his statement, Al Bakri expressed his appreciation for the valuable efforts of the director-general of the International Labor Organization for preparing the world report entitled “Price of Forced Labor” which has been allocated this year for abolition of forced labor. He said that the report highlighted the international community’s efforts as to lay down principles of social justice as per international labor standards.

“The GCC states have long been keen to care for human being the main focus of development, and among the first who enforced international laws, supported the ILO’s endeavors as to rally international opinion to achieve a fair and just globalization that gives priority to man and secure his rights,” he said.

“Due to the nature of major economic and social transformations and comprehensive development being witnessed by the GCC communities and coupled with envisaged population growth, the GCC countries had taken precautions for such changes and how to tackle them using a subjective scientific and legal framework which is based on respect of justice, equality and humans rights as stressed in the global report on the GCC states’ response and good cooperation with ILO in terms of promoting the workers’ basic rights and protecting them against forced labor and injustices,” he added.

Speaking on the conventions which had been ratified by the GCC states, Al Bakri said: “All GCC states had ratified Convention No. 29 on Abolition of all types of Forced Labor, and Convention no. 105 on Abolition of Forced Labor. He said that the GCC states’ legislations and systems were consistent with the essence and standards of the international labor which had explicitly banned the forced labor, fixed working and rest hours, vacations and regularized over time.

He added that some of the GCC states had joined the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and Palermo Protocol on Prevention, Suppressing and Punishing Trafficking in Persons, women and children, in particular.

“Our countries are currently witnessing a number of important initiatives, not only the on the governmental level, but gone further to establishing national control mechanisms as to preventing human trafficking and the role of civil society,” he said. “The role of civic society organizations, human rights societies and committees, and labor federations had emerged to stop misusing of labor, training government employees and officials, incriminating human trafficking cases and all forced labor,” he added.

He added that the GCC had adopted a model law on protecting the rights of housemaids, protecting expatriate labor force, establishing national offices for combating human trafficking and offices for the welfare of laborers who were subjected to forced labor.

Al Barki concluded his speech by saying that the GCC countries are looking forward to establish a better world which is obliged to respecting standards and maintaining humans dignity for a just, peaceful and prosperous future for all people.