Sultan Qaboos among top 10 of 500 most influential leaders in Arab, Islamic world

Sultan Qaboos embarks on annual tour of Omani wilayats

Low-income families in Oman to get housing units

Oman woman go on march of allegiance, appreciation for Sultan Qaboos

Oman’s information minister underlines human, cultural values

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has been ranked among the top 10 of the 500 most influential leaders in the contemporary Arab and Islamic world by a prominent international encyclopedia.

The World Islamic Encyclopedia (WIS) described Sultan Qaboos as a leading global personality who followed “a policy of political partnership in his regional and international relations”.

WIS compiles the list of renowned figures based on several criteria and after surveying Arab and Islamic personalities for their contributions in the political and economic spheres and in promoting tolerance and dialogue among people belonging to different cultures and thought, encouraging science and technology and adopting sound management and development policies.

The encyclopedia was distributed at an international seminar at the Washington-based Georgetown University 
this week.

A group of international organizations hosted the event to discuss the values of tolerance and dialogue among peoples belonging to various cultures and civilizations. The book underlined Sultan Qaboos’ far-sighted vision in international policy which, it noted, had made the Sultanate a stable 
regional country.

It highlighted the Omani ruler’s tolerance towards other religions.

The reasons it cited for selecting Sultan Qaboos also included his adherence to Islamic values and virtues and the construction and renovation of thousands of mosques in Oman at his own expense, particularly mentioning the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Baushar in Muscat.

“His Majesty the Sultan has adopted a different and unique style for Islamic culture in Oman by his supreme ability to combine Islamic values and benefits of modern life,” the encyclopedia observed.

It pointed out that under his leadership Oman had “liberated itself from the burden of foreign debt.

“The Sultanate had managed to build up a solid state reserve fund that serves as a cushion in times of a crisis”.

Meanwhile, officials in Buraimi Governorate and the wilayats in Al Dahirah regions expressed their happiness over the visit of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said to Seih Al Masarat in the Wilayat of Ibri as part of his Annual Royal Tour.

People in Al Dahira region thronged to greet His Majesty the Sultan on his way to Seih Al Makarim in Sohar to Seih Al Masarat in Ibri as part of the second leg of his annual Royal Tour. The people assembled in large numbers to greet and express their loyalty to His Majesty the Sultan the founder and architect of the Blessed Renaissance of modern Oman.

As His Majesty the Sultan’s convoy passed through the areas which have witnessed tremendous development during his reign, people from all walks of life, including woman and children, waved their hands and exchanged their heartfelt love and prayers to their great leader.

HE Sheikh Yahya Bin Hamoud Al Ma’amari, Governor of Buraimi, said the entire governorate is elated at His Majesty the Sultan’s visit as the people consider the visit a great honor for them.

The visit will be greatly beneficial for the people in the region as it will be coincided with the visit of the ministers to the villages, cities and residential areas to see the situation of the people.

HE Sheikh Dr Suleiman Bin Saud Al Jabri, Wali of Buraimi, said the visit is an open meeting between the government and the people.

“It will help His Majesty the Sultan to see the ongoing developmental plans in the region,” he added.

HE Sheikh Hilal Bin Said Bin Hamdan Al Hijri, Wali of Ibri, said the arrival of His Majesty the Sultan, is a sincere gesture of honor from the great ruler of the country to his people.

“The people are waiting for the visit with much enthusiasm and gusto,” he added.

HE Sheikh Hilal Bin Salem Al Bu Saidi, Wali of Al Saniya, said the wilayat is all set to welcome this grand event, which is a day of celebration for the people of the wilayat cutting across the age.

Sheikh Hamad Bin Salim Al Ghabri, Wali of Yanqul, said the visit of His Majesty the Sultan to different wilayats and regions across the country to meet the people is a continuation of the sustainable development programs in the country.

He Sheikh Suhail Bin Muhad Bin Ali Al Ma’ashini, Wali of Dhank, said His Majesty’s visit is a great event with a lot of implications. It is an unparalleled democratic gesture from the ruler of the country to visit and seek the welfare of his people.

Oman has announced a significant hike in housing loan limits for low income families and raised the salary ceiling for those eligible to apply for such financial assistance from the government, as the Sultanate joined other countries in marking world and Arab housing day.

The increase in the upper limit for loans — from RO15,000 to RO20,000 — was made public in a statement issued by the Ministry of Housing. The new ceiling on monthly salary for applicants is RO400, compared with RO300 earlier. The government also enhanced its non-refundable housing assistance to social security families to RO15,000 from RO10,000.

The ministry said the new decisions were in the wake of the rise in prices of building materials and the increase in salaries of government employees at the beginning of the year. The announcement coincided with the Arab and world housing day. This year's theme for the former, observed every year on the first Monday of October, is 'Housing is a Human Right'. Word Housing Day is marked on October 1 every year.

The Sultanate has made notable achievements in the field of housing, especially in the backdrop of rapid urbanization taking place in the country. A highlight has been the focus placed on building residential units with the least cost, properly balancing facilities with citizens' needs and adhering to traditional Omani architecture.

All housing projects, therefore, seek to blend the economic, social and historical aspects of the country and its people, placing emphasis on the country's special ecological situation and environment, a spokesman for the ministry explained, pointing out that the government had laid down comprehensive rules and regulations for such schemes. The authorities had also drawn up policy guidelines for distribution of plots to citizens to construct houses, he added.

"Providing support to social housing schemes for those with limited income has been one of the Sultanate's pivotal housing policies, by offering them necessary financial assistance," the spokesman said.

Hundreds of families in the different governorates and regions have benefited from such schemes and royal grants. Last year, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said announced a grant to build 1,229 'social' houses in a number of wilayats of the Sharqiyah and Dhakhliyah regions and the Dhofar Governorate in 2006.

The beneficiaries were individuals with monthly incomes not exceeding RO129 and families covered by the social security program. The number of families that benefited from the housing assistance scheme so far this year is 185.

Meanwhile, work is in progress on 1,399 houses in various parts of the country following orders given by Sultan Qaboos during his annual 'Meet the People' tour last year. The cost of the project is RO47.8 million. And in a gesture marking the advent of the holy month of Ramadan last month, Sultan Qaboos issued a grant writing off housing loans availed of by people with limited income from the Housing Bank. The beneficiaries, totaling nearly 400, were those with monthly incomes not exceeding RO300, and the amount involved was RO5.2 million.

In Salalah, Omani Women’s Association branches in Dhofar governorate, Al Wafa social awareness centers and schoolchildren organized a Loyalty March in Salalah to celebrate the special attention given by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said to Omani women.

Hundreds of women started the march from the office of Omani Women’s Association in Salalah to the office of the Minister of State and Wali of Dhofar.

The participants hoisted the photos of His Majesty the Sultan, the Sultanate’s flag and placards expressing gratitude, loyalty and allegiance to the founder of Oman’s Blessed Renaissance. The placards also exhibited the great achievements Omani women have achieved.

HE Hamed Bin Mohammed Al Rashdi, the Omani Minister of Information, received members of the Supervisory Board of the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Centre in Washington in the presence of Her Excellency Haninah Bint Sultan Al Mughairiyah, the Sultanate’s Ambassador to the US and Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of the Centre.

During the meeting, conversations touched on the center’s activities and its efforts in disseminating information related to the Arabic and Islamic culture, as well as, intensifying and enhancing exchanging visits at the institutional or individuals level (researchers, academicians, media men or students).

Rashdi appreciated the efforts calling for more emphasis on joint humanitarian and cultural values and mutual interest. He briefed members of the centre on the bright sides of the Omani society during its modern renaissance under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, which is based on tolerance, dialogue and establishing pillars of security, stability and peace among all nations in line with the elevated principles laid down by His Majesty the Sultan, the rich culture, and history characterized by contacts with other peoples and nations.

HE Dr Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Sarmi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Higher Education, also received the members of the Supervisory Board of the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Centre in Washington.

The meeting discussed topics including exchange of students between the Sultanate and the US. It also touched on the potential of receiving the US students by the universities and colleges in the Sultanate.

Al Sarmi said this program was held previously in the Dhofar University and the College of Applied Science in Al Rustaq and proved effective.

The meeting also discussed the issue of teaching Arabic language for non-native speakers and finding American universities to dispatch their students to study in Oman within an approved academic program and conducting studies on the Omani culture and the richness of its vocabulary.