MUSCAT, OCT 19
A seminar on developing a comprehensive and unified social protection system in Oman opened on Monday, bringing together officials, academics, researchers and specialists to examine the legislative, institutional and financial dimensions of the system, review comparative experiences and develop recommendations to strengthen its integration and sustainability.
The two-day seminar, organised by the Social Protection Fund in collaboration with Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) at Mandarin Oriental, Muscat, was held under the auspices of Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, in the presence of HH Sayyid Dr Fahd bin Al Julanda al Said, Vice-Chancellor of SQU.
In his opening address, Dr Faisal bin Abdullah al Farsi, CEO of the Social Protection Fund, said the establishment of the fund and the enactment of the Social Protection Law marked a significant step towards unifying the institutional and legislative framework for social protection. The framework brings together state-funded social benefits, social insurance schemes, savings programmes and supplementary programmes based on contributions.
“The true value of the social protection system is reflected in its direct impact on citizens’ lives,” Al Farsi said, highlighting its role in supporting children, older people, persons with disabilities and families in need, as well as protecting workers against risks associated with employment and different stages of life.
He added that Oman’s experience had received international recognition, including the International Social Security Association’s (ISSA) Good Practice Award for the Asia-Pacific region in 2024. The fund has also collaborated with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to document Oman’s experience in redesigning its social protection system.
Al Farsi stressed that further development requires moving beyond legislative and institutional frameworks towards continuous performance evaluation, impact assessment and service improvement. He underlined the importance of scientific research and comparative studies in developing practical recommendations that support financial sustainability and improve benefits, in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
Khalifa bin Salim al Ghafili, Director of the Legal Affairs Department at the Social Protection Fund and head of the seminar’s main organising committee, emphasised the importance of clear and precise legislation in achieving policy objectives. He said the implementation of laws should become an institutional and societal approach grounded in protecting rights and safeguarding national achievements.
Al Ghafili noted that the establishment of the Social Protection Fund and the replacement of the previous pension funds represented a major transition towards unifying pension systems, their obligations and entitlements. He called for an in-depth academic assessment of the experience to identify opportunities for further development and ensure its sustainability.
The seminar features six peer-reviewed research papers. The first, presented by Sayyid Shabib bin Abdullah al Busaidi, Vice-President of the Social Protection Fund for Insurance Protection Affairs, examines Oman’s social protection system and its development. The remaining papers address the legal implications of the fund succeeding the previous pension funds, financing mechanisms and the relationship between social benefit schemes and social insurance systems, alongside comparative studies of the Omani, Moroccan and Saudi experiences and an examination of legislative integration under Social Protection Law No 52/2023.
The seminar also seeks to strengthen cooperation between government institutions and academia and encourage knowledge exchange, with its discussions expected to inform future policy decisions and support a more efficient and sustainable system capable of responding to changing societal needs.
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