State Council eyes food security and business growth

MUSCAT, JUNE 24
The State Council held its ninth session of the third ordinary term of the eighth council period on Wednesday, chaired by Shaikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah al Khalili, Chairman of the State Council.
In his opening remarks, the chairman congratulated members on the occasion of the New Hijri Year and commended the meeting held with the Council of Ministers, describing it as positive and productive. He said the meeting falls within the framework of ongoing cooperation and coordination between the Council of Ministers and the Council of Oman to develop shared visions that achieve national goals and development plans.
The session's agenda covered three main topics, the first of which was the unified law project on the management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture in the Gulf Cooperation Council states.
Dr Abdulkarim al Lawati, Rapporteur of the Social and Cultural Committee, explained that the law addresses the collection, preservation, maintenance, evaluation and classification of plant genetic resources, alongside regulating the movement of these resources between GCC member states and making data available to researchers and scientific centres.
He confirmed that the law will play a significant role in strengthening food security through protecting plant heritage and developing agriculture that is compatible with the natural environment of these countries. The second topic addressed the study on developing the framework for government performance management.
Mohammed al Shehhi, Rapporteur of the Economic and Financial Committee, said Oman is advancing steadily in this area, driven by a firm Royal will reflected in national visions, sectoral strategies and five-year plans.
He noted that the study's recommendations include developing the legislative and regulatory framework, achieving integration between relevant units and digital transformation, as well as developing government leadership capable of delivering the required objectives.
The third topic covered the study 'Analysis of the Business Environment in the Sultanate of Oman: Practical Steps to Enhance Entrepreneurship'.
Mohammed al Ghassani, Rapporteur of the Special Committee, stressed that developing the business environment is no longer a reform option but a strategic necessity to strengthen the competitiveness of the Omani economy regionally and internationally.
He noted that the study identified challenges at both the regulatory and institutional levels, as well as the operational and sectoral levels, pointing out that legislation and policies are in place, but the gap lies in implementation, which the study's recommendations aim to address.