A march continues with confidence

This day sees the completion of the first year of Oman’s renewed renaissance. It started with the challenges of oil prices to the pandemic.

It has also been the year where His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik al Said has taken major decisions to take the Sultanate to the next level.

Sultan Haitham won the challenge of keeping Oman stable after the departure of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos said Sulayem al Jabri, adding, “It would have been a difficult task to any new Sultan after 50 years of leadership of a great leader such as Sultan Qaboos. Sultan Haitham took the responsibility to lead Oman to the new vision: 2020 – 2040. The first year of Sultan Haitham leading Oman shows that we are on track of our new vision of a better future.”

Col (Retd) Abdulwahab al Balushi reflected, “When we recall the last five decades of late Sultan Qaboos’ reign we confidently say that he had managed to lift Oman from an underdeveloped country to a highly developed country. Oman became one of the highly developed countries in the areas of education, health, communication and security.”

He said that Sultan Qaboos assured that prosperity is spread equally to all Omani citizens and regions. He successfully managed in unifying the citizens of Oman; he made sure that they respect each other and work hard together in building Oman.

He explained, “Sultan Qaboos also made everyone share the same values and love of Oman. He taught the young and the old of what it is to be an Omani citizen, of being proud of your heritage, traditions and culture. He encouraged us to work collectively in making Oman a great nation – a great place to live and be proud. He ensured that tolerance is rooted in all Omanis.

He added, “Our new beloved Sultan Haitham is another extraordinary visionary leader and in many ways he inherited late Sultan Qaboos’ ways in interacting with citizens and how he runs the business of the government, especially when it comes to running the foreign policy.”

As soon as it became Sultan Haitham’s responsibility to steer the nation to its next renaissance he took it upon himself to execute the 2040 vision which was entrusted to him by Sultan Qaboos, noted Retd. Col Abdulwahab.

“He knows that the execution of 2040 vision requires bold decisions, therefore he began immediately by restructuring the government and has implemented many new policies to reform the economy and to improve the performance of the government. The year 2020 had been a difficult year mainly because of COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of late Sultan Qaboos, God bless his soul.

Meanwhile Ahmed al Mukhaini, public policy analyst said that Sultan Haitham has been faced with significant challenges.

“I think he has managed to rise to these challenges and the fact that he was in charge of Oman 2040 provided him with great opportunity to understand these challenges and their root causes and also provide him with a road map on how to address these challenges,” Ahmed noted. He pointed out that some of these challenges are not easy and require significant or serious decision making and because of that Ahmed thinks it is important that everybody support him as well as give him time and hopefully within the next three to five years we would be able to pick up and resume our growth again.

Dr Chona Thomas, senior plastic surgeon, said, “I wish and pray that the spirit of Renaissance will be continued with prosperity and peace in Oman under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik al Said, the successor of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. In the field of health service, where I am familiar with, the Sultanate has achieved tremendous progress.

“The communicable and infectious diseases were completely controlled and eradicated by health education and immunisation through the health centres and other medical institutions. The government has always been far from violence, oppression and committed to high values of tolerance, neutrality, unity and cohesion of human societies and work to eliminate differences and conflicts between individuals and groups.

Dr Wahid al Kharousi said, “It has been one year since our father, commander and leader has left us – His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. But, within a year we are seeing his choice; His Majesty Sultan Haitham is taking on the work he has left and propagating it further. It is such a relief to see how things are in Oman. We have seen during the year Sultan Haitham has taken over with all the economic difficulties, with Covid pandemic and with the need for changes, he has tackled them with ease, experience and with calmness. Taking the leadership of foreign policy of His Majesty of non- interference. I am sure the future of Oman is in very good hands and I am sure that we are going to see a lot of things that will change not only the people of Oman but change the concept of how we should live. The propagation of giving the youth senior positions is an example of a very well determined 2040 plan and the young people will come with innovative ideas. This will also improve the economy of the country.