Ain-Al-Yaqeen - November 24, 2006

		November 24, 2006

THE SULTANATE OF OMAN CELEBRATES ITS 36TH NATIONAL DAY.
SULTAN QABOOS DELIVERS A COMPREHENSIVE SPEECH AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF OMAN.
THE SULTAN'S SPEECH DEALS WITH THE MARCH OF NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, DEVELOPMENT AND THE SULTANATE STANDS IN SUPPORT OF REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL JUST CAUSES.

Sultan Qaboos Bin Said presided over the annual convening of the Council of Oman at the council's premises in Al Khuwair.

Sultan Qaboos delivered a Royal speech in which he gave thanks and praise to the Almighty God for the annual meeting in which, he said, "we have always been keen to review some aspects of the blessed Renaissance, stressing our resolve to achieve its goals of further progress and prosperity through a comprehensive development that seeks to develop human and natural resources and set up an infra-structure that would yield sustainable economic growth, strengthen the pillars of social structure and consolidate the bases of a modern State, God willing."

The Sultan added, "In this month in 1981 we opened the State's Consultative Council as a first step towards the achievement of our policy to offer maximum opportunities to our citizens to participate in the efforts of the government as it implements its economic and social plans. We thank God for the success of that step which was followed by another blessed step, the establishment of the Majlis Ash'shura in December 1991. "The Consultative Council was a pioneering experiment and a solid building block in the establishment of the institution-based state whose pillars we strive to consolidate, embracing the beneficial methods of the modern age, but without relinquishing the firm foundations of the Omani society".

Sultan Qaboos added that these two steps culminated in the setting up of the Council of Oman which comprises the Majlis Addawla (State Council) and Majlis Ash'shura (Consultative Council) and the bicameral system continues to work towards the enrichment of the nation-building process. The two councils propose ideas and opinions that serve the common good and help provide more means of progress and a decent life for all citizens." He added that communication between the government and the citizens takes shape "through recommendations that our government accords utmost care and also through open dialogue between the council members and the government ministers."

Sultan Qaboos congratulated Omanis on the 25the anniversary of the Council of Oman, praying to the Almighty God to grant the council members success in carrying out their duties in a manner that achieves co-operation between the council and government departments and meet the aspirations of the citizens. Elaborating on his keenness on his concern for human resources, the Sultan said, "You are aware of the extent of the attention we accord to the development of human resources in order to provide our young sons and daughters with wider and better opportunities of education, training and employment. This is almost a fixed item in each of our speeches addressed through you (council members) to all the people of Oman.

There can be no doubt that human beings are the basic component and the cornerstone of any viable civilisation. We, therefore, once again, reaffirm the importance of this element in the development and modernisation of society". The Sultan expressed his satisfaction over the sincere efforts and steps taken in recent years by the government and the private sector in the fields of Omanisation and training of the emerging generations. Sultan Qaboos expressed delight to see a growing tendency among youths to take jobs seriously in various areas. He hoped that this is an indication of an increasing awareness among individuals in the society of the importance of work, regardless of its type.

"In this regard, we would like to reiterate that expertise and skills can only be gained by remaining in jobs. From this podium, we salute all those who work diligently with persistence and dedication in any field of work that will benefit the individual and society," the Sultan said.

He also expressed his satisfaction for the progress made in the field of higher education, whose institutions are being spread to the different regions of the Sultanate. He pointed out the fact that private universities and colleges are offering diverse sciences and art programmes which meet the requirements of the labour market, the melting pot that absorbs the output of educational institutions.

Sultan Qaboos welcomed the establishment of new private universities in other regions that require higher educational institutions, provided that objective studies prove their feasibility and that their high-quality programmes will ensure that the students will be successful in the work place, and also guarantee that their certificates are recognised at both national and international levels.

He noted: "Besides the ability to accommodate large numbers of higher education seekers a matter that we encourage and urge these educational institutions should provide high-quality education for students, since quantity is useless unless high standards are maintained with a view to providing scientific and applicable skills".

The Sultan stressed that "knowledge and work" are inseparable, since you cannot rely on one without the other. "It is through knowledge and work that nations can develop their illustrious qualities and shape their present and future existence. It is through these that human beings realise the aspirations for a decent, stable life and a promising future. We are certain that Omani society is fully aware of this fact," he said. At this point, Sultan Qaboos declared that "appropriate assistance" would be given to private universities in order to encourage them to carry out their responsibility of serving the society. With regard to the Sultanate's foreign policy he said: "The path we have followed in our foreign policy over the past decades proved to be both sound and effective, with God's guidance.

We are committed to this approach, which supports justice, peace and security, tolerance and love. We are committed to this approach which calls for international co-operation to reinforce stability, promote growth and prosperity and tackle the causes of tension in international relations through the settlement of fair and lasting solutions to critical problems; such co-operation would reinforce peaceful co-existence between nations and provide well-being and prosperity for the whole of mankind.

Following is the full text of the speech of Sultan Qaboos before the annual convening of the Council of Oman.

In the name of the God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

We give profound thanks to God and may prayers trial peace be upon His honest messenger, His honourable family and His companions.

Dear Citizens,

Through the grace of God we meet again on this occasion in which we have always been keen to review some aspects of the blessed Renaissance. We stress our resolve to achieve its goals and its objectives of further progress and prosperity through a comprehensive development that seeks to develop human and natural resources and build an infra-structure that would yield sustainable economic growth, strengthen the pillars of social structure and consolidate the bases of a modern State, God willing.

On this occasion we would not like to miss pointing out that in this month, in the year 1981, we launched the State Consultative Council as the first step on the path to realising our policies aimed at providing greater opportunities of participation for our citizens in the efforts exerted by the government in implementing economic and social plans.

We thank God for the success of that step which was followed by another blessed step when the Consultation Council (Majlis A'Shura) was inaugurated in December 1991.

The Consultation Council was a pioneering experiment and a strong solid building block in the construction of the institution-based state we are striving to consolidate. At the same time in embracing the useful and positive elements of the modern age, every effort has been made to ensure that Omani society's firm foundations and principles are not abandoned. As you may well know, these two steps were crowned by the establishment of the Council of Oman which comprises the State Council and the Consultation Council, where the bicameral system works together to enrich the development and building process. They propose ideas and opinions that serve the common good and contribute to providing more means of progress and a decent life for all citizens through various recommendations that receive our government's utmost care and also through open dialogue between members of the Council and government ministers.

We congratulate you on the 25th anniversary of the Council's initial step and pray to God to grant your Council - the Council of Oman - success in carrying out its duties in a manner that achieves cooperation and integration between the Council and various organs of the State in Order to fulfill the ambitions of the citizens and realise their hopes and aspirations. He doth what he intendeth.

Dear Citizens,

The principles of our domestic policies have been cemented during the past years through plans and programmes aimed at building the human being, spreading development and reinforcing security and peace. These are goals that we have looked forward to achieving since the dawn of modem Oman and for which we have stressed our resolve to continue our efforts to attain. Through God's grace, guidance and divine providence, every step of our Renaissance has been made easy. Praise be to God for his generosity, he is worthy of all praise and anchor of all hopes.

Dear Citizens,

You are aware of the extent of the attention we accord to the development of human resources in order to provide our young sons and daughters with wider and better opportunities of education, training and employment. This is almost a fixed item in each of our speeches addressed through you to all the people of Oman. There can be no doubt that the human being is the basic component and the cornerstone of any viable civilisation. We, therefore, once again reaffirm the importance of this element in the development and modernisation of society.

Therefore, we are glad to express our satisfaction over the serious steps taken in recent years by the government and the private sector in the fields of Ornanisation and training of the emerging generations.

We are also delighted to see a growing tendency to take jobs in various fields. We hope that this is an indication of an increasing awareness among individuals in the society of the importance of work, regardless of its type.

In this regard, we would like to reiterate that expertise and skills can only be gained by remaining in jobs.

From this platform, we salute all those who work diligently with persistence and dedication in any field of work that will benefit the individual and society.

We are pleased, clear citizens, to also express our satisfaction over what has been achieved in the field of spreading higher education to the different regions through the establishment of private universities that include colleges offering diverse sciences and arts programmes which are needed in the country and which meet the requirements of the labour market, which is the ultimate melting pot that absorbs the output of educational institutions. Therefore, we welcome the establishment of new private universities in other regions that require higher educational institutions, provided that objective studies prove their feasibility and that their high quality programmes will ensure that the students will be successful in the work place, and also guarantee that their certificates are recognized at both national and international levels.

Besides the capacity to absorb large numbers of higher education seekers - a matter that we encourage and urge - these educational institutions should provide high-quality education for students, since quantity is useless unless high standards are maintained in order to advance scientific and applicable skills.

Knowledge and work are inseparable, since you cannot dispense with one without the other. It is through these that nations can develop their illustrious qualities and shape their present and future existence. It is through this that human beings fulfil themselves and achieve their ambitions for a decent, stable life and a future brimming with hope and prosperity. We are certain that Omani society is fully aware of this fact. In this connection we should like to declare that we have decided to provide appropriate assistance for private universities to encourage them to carry out their duty to provide society with highly-qualified people, in order to raise the standard of their performance and that of their graduates in all fields of work as is required in these modern times. May Clod grant success.

Dear Citizens,

The path we have followed in our foreign policy over the past decades has shown itself to be both sound and effective, with God's guidance. We are committed to this approach, which supports justice, peace and security, and tolerance and love, which calls for international cooperation in order to reinforce stability, promote growth and prosperity and tackle the causes of tension in international relations by producing just and permanent solutions to critical problems, which fosters peaceful co-existence between nations, and which generates well-being and prosperity for the whole of mankind.

Our Lord. Bestow on us mercy from Thyself, and shape for us right conduct.

May God grant you success. And may peace be upon you and the mercy of God and His blessings.

On the other hand Sultan Qaboos Bin Said has issued orders to construct 1,000 housing units for those benefiting from the housing aid scheme on the occasion of the 36th National Day.

The housing units will be distributed among various wilayats of the Sultanate, in addition to the units already approved under the current Five-Year Plan, as per the priority of applications and entitlement conditions at the Ministry of Housing, Electricity and Water, according to a statement issued by the Diwan of Royal Court.

The statement further wished the Sultan good health and a long life and further development and prosperity to the people of the Sultanate.

In a statement to ONA, Dr Sharifa Bint Khalfan Al Yahyaeiyah, Minister of Social Development, said the Sultan's Royal Grant to construct 1,000 housing units for those benefiting from the housing aid scheme is a simple evidence of the interest shown by Sultan Qaboos to ensure welfare and prosperity for all his subjects. The Royal Grant also comes at a time when the Sultanate is celebrating the 36th National Day, she added. Sharifa wished the Sultan good health and long life and further development and prosperity to Omanis.

The people of Oman celebrated the Sultanate's 36th National Day a day of great pride, joy and thanksgiving as Omanis reflect on the country's metamorphosis from the dark ages of deprivation, despondency and isolation to an era of all-round development, social harmony and stability. On this occasion, a grateful nation paid tribute to Sultan Qaboos, who led this remarkable transformation indeed a renaissance that has placed the country firmly on the road to continued growth and prosperity. Also on this day, the people of Oman reaffirmed their loyalty and allegiance to their Sultan, pledging to consolidate and build on the gains of this blessed Renaissance.

More importantly the National Day has come to embody the collective aspirations of a country that has come of age and ready to assume its rightful place among the ranks of modern nations of the world. Thirty-six years of sustained development on all key fronts have given birth to a proud nation brimming with optimism and eager to play its part in the international quest for achieving peace, prosperity and tranquillity around the world.

Indeed, Omanis have a lot to proud of, not least the huge strides achieved on the economic, social and cultural fronts. The renaissance initiated 36 years ago by Sultan Qaboos continues to bestow progress and advancement across the face of the Sultanate. Hospitals and health centres proliferate where once disease and pestilence was rife. Private universities and technology parks are a reality where once ignorance and illiteracy were the norm.

Industry and enterprise flourish where once debility and despondency thrived. High oil prices supported by prudent economic policies have helped accelerate the growth of Oman's economy during the past year. Privatisation and diversification remain the cornerstones of the government's blueprint for achieving the country's future economic prosperity a strategy enshrined in the Vision 2020 charter.

A series of five-year development plans introduced at the outset of the renaissance have ensured that the benefits of Oman's economic progress are spread more-or-less evenly across the breadth of the country. Objectively designed and paced to match the country's national priorities, these plans cater to improvements in education, health, economy, trade and industry, agriculture and fisheries, communications infrastructure, telecommunications, human resources development, youth and women's affairs, tourism and environment.

The economy remains on a strong growth trajectory. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices increased to about RO11.817 billion in 2005, compared to about RO9.527 million in 2004, thus realising a 24 per cent rate of growth. This strong growth of the Omani economy was the result of rising oil prices, strong local demand, improved investment climate, and increased foreign demand on non-oil products. All principal activities, especially in non-oil sectors, have contributed with various degrees, in the growth of the national economy in 2005.

The 7th five-year plan (2006-2010), which was launched this year, aims at the achievement of a rate of growth of at least 3 per cent annually on average, in addition to enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy, improve productivity, increase investment rates, accelerate privatisation, economic diversification, the development of human resources, continued implementation of the strategy of Oman's digital society, and the movement towards an economy based on knowledge. Growth continues to be strong in all spheres of national life. Improvements in education, health, and power and water production and distribution, have effectively propelled Oman into the league of modern, well-developed nations.

In particular, the health sector provides the most visible evidence of the exceptional strides that Oman has made in the three and a half decades of its modern renaissance. Through intensive maternal and child health programmes, infant mortality has fallen from 180 cases per 1,000 live births in 1970 to 10.28 in 2005. Average life expectancy climbed to 74.28 years. Equally impressive is the government's investment in the education sector, which has been growing by leaps and bounds. During the academic year 2005-2006 there were over 568,000 students in the country's 1,046 government schools. There are also 157 private schools with a further 28,000 students, in addition to three schools for the disabled.

A number of private universities have also cropped up in the wake of a resurgence in higher education learning. Besides Sohar University, varsities in Nizwa and Dhofar Governorate have since become operational, while a fourth private university in Muscat is in the pipeline. Omani private investors are also teaming up with Germany's renowned University of Aachen to set up the Oman-German Technology University (OGTech) in Muscat.

Omanisation and national manpower development have acquired new momentum during the course of this year. Human resources development has been a pivotal objective of the government of His Majesty the Sultan. Since the outset of the Sultanate's modern Renaissance, the government's domestic policies and programmes have converged on a single goal the development of the Omani citizen as being the vehicle and the ultimate beneficiary of national development.

On the external front, Oman continues to play a positive and effective role in regional and international economic cooperation. It works to enhance and develop areas of joint activities through the Customs Union of the Arab Countries of the Gulf, the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in whose work the Sultanate participates positively and effectively. In a significant milestone in Oman's economic links with the wider world was a free trade agreement (FTA) signed with the United States earlier this year. This agreement is an important step towards the liberalisation of trade, and opening the door for larger investment opportunities.

Moreover, the Sultanate has signed together with the GCC states, a number of framework agreements for economic, trade and investment cooperation with China, India, Pakistan, Turkey and the Latin American Common Market member countries. These framework agreements provide for the conduct of negotiations to establish free trade areas between the GCC and these countries and groups. Negotiations between GCC and the European Union have reached their final stages. Oman has been a pioneer in the region in promoting political equality of the sexes. This development has given Omani women a bigger chance in holding leadership posts and participating in decision-making. Thus Omani women have become an increasingly bigger partner in real development in the country.

In affirmation of the role of Omani women in the march for comprehensive development, the government has shown special interest in encouraging women and helping them contribute to economic and social development. The Sultanate has also prepared a draft national strategy for the advancement of Omani women. The strategy is the fruit of co-operation between governmental and non-governmental organisations and academic institutions in the Sultanate.

Believing in the importance of childhood as a basis for investing in human resources, and based on the duty to provide children with the needs for their lives and future, whether within their families or society as a whole, the government underlined the fact that children have priority in the comprehensive development programmes, through the establishment of a national committee for the care of children. This committee was established by Royal Decree No. 71/1997.

The year 2006 also marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Shoura consultative process in the Sultanate, marking the start of an historic attempt by His Majesty in 1981 to involve citizens in decision-making with regard to the country's socio-economic plans. That process has since evolved into today's bicameral system with the Majlis Addawla and Majlis Ash'shura forming the two chambers of the Council of Oman, a forum that will serve to further enrich the participatory role of all sections of society in the nation-building process.

Indeed, the gains of the renaissance are a source of great pride for all Omanis. The Sultanate continues to win praise as a model for other nations to follow in the region in terms of its stable political structure, adherence to deep-rooted traditional, moral and religious values, and peaceable policies.