His Majesty presides over Cabinet Meeting

His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik presided over a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Sultanate of Oman at the premises of the Council of Ministers in Muscat.

At the outset of the meeting, His Majesty the Sultan gave thanks and praise to the Almighty Allah for the abundant bounties that He bestowed on this dear nation. His Majesty prayed that the current year (2026) would be one marked by successive achievements and the realisation of aspirations for a promising tomorrow and a radiant future for the Sultanate of Oman and its loyal people.

During their meeting the Council of Ministers reviewed Oman's bilateral relations with several sisterly and friendly countries, as well as regional and international affairs. The Council reaffirmed the core tenets of Oman’s foreign policy. These are based on good neighbourliness, positive neutrality, and non-interference.

The Council of Ministers emphasised Oman's commitment to forging friendly and cooperative ties with all states to achieve mutual benefit. It also reiterated Oman's full support for international law, respect for national sovereignty and independence, and its endorsement of United Nations efforts to maintain international peace and security.

The Council further called on all parties to exercise restraint, engage in dialogue, prevent escalation, and pursue reconciliation to promote security, stability, and the protection of civilians.

On domestic topics, in light of sustained positive growth in the national economy's performance and tangible improvements in financial, economic, and social indicators during the past period, His Majesty expressed his satisfaction with the positive results achieved.

His Majesty commended the dedicated efforts of all relevant bodies and the Government's policies aimed at enhancing fiscal sustainability, which have helped to foster an attractive investment climate and to stimulate various economic sectors.

In light of the adoption of the Eleventh Five-Year Development Plan (2026-2030) and the State Budget for the 2026 fiscal year, and following a review of the state's economic and financial performance along with its key annual targets, the Council of Ministers stressed the necessity of integration among state institutions and a strengthened partnership with the private sector to meet the plan's financial, economic, and social objectives.

It emphasised focusing on the expansion of promising economic sectors which are expected to generate employment opportunities and to contribute to growth in Oman's gross domestic product (GDP).

Following a review of the key successes achieved by government bodies in 2025, as well as their ongoing challenges, work plans, and objectives for 2026, the Council of Ministers commended the efforts of all government bodies. These bodies include the Central Bank of Oman, the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit, the Tax Authority, the Oman Investment Authority, and the State Financial and Administrative Audit Authority.

The Council underscored the importance of further strengthening these efforts to achieve the targets of Oman Vision 2040 and to meet the aspirations of citizens.

The Council of Ministers approved the establishment of the Oman Global Financial Centre.  This recognises the strategic importance of establishing a global financial centre in the Sultanate of Oman to drive economic diversification, boost the financial sector's contribution to GDP, attract capital, and foster an ecosystem attractive to investment.

The Centre, which will enjoy legislative, administrative, and regulatory autonomy, is intended to create a compelling environment for commercial banks and specialised global financial institutions in commercial and Islamic banking, finance, insurance, and related support services. The Centre also aims to facilitate knowledge transfer and generate high-quality employment in the financial sector, built upon a new legal, judicial, and financial framework in line with international standards.

His Majesty directed the Council of Ministers to study and analyse behavioural shifts in society.

This reflects His Majesty's continued focus on social and cultural issues, and his commitment to strengthening Omani society and protecting all its segments, as well as the adverse impacts of modern technology and digital communication. These include emerging social issues such as weakened community ties, the declining influence of positive role models, a lack of constructive intergenerational dialogue, and other harmful trends among some young people.

His Majesty tasked the Council with developing clear-cut, structured policies and operational mechanisms to promote positive values, to foster constructive behaviours, and to mitigate the negative influence of social media on social conduct.

After reviewing the implementation progress, key indicators, and outcomes of  employment and training initiatives during 2025, the Council of Ministers commended the efforts of its Financial and Economic Committee, the Ministry of Labour, and all contributing government bodies in meeting their targets.

The Council stressed the importance of sustaining this momentum and enhancing collaboration with private sector establishments to create wider avenues for sustainable employment opportunities.

In line with His Majesty's interest in accelerating the Government Digital Transformation Programme, and to enhance the effectiveness of public services delivered through the Unified Government Services Portal, the Council of Ministers underscored the need for continued collaboration and integrated roles among all government units.

The goal is to establish the Portal as the central gateway for government services, while leveraging artificial intelligence to develop innovative digital offerings that meet user expectations and ensure satisfaction.

With regard to relations with Saudi Arabia, the Council reviewed the outcomes from the third meeting of the Oman-Saudi Coordination Council, held in December, 2025. The Council of Ministers expressed its satisfaction with the positive and fruitful results achieved across multiple areas.

It reaffirmed Oman's commitment to strengthening cooperation with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), deepening the strategic partnership, and advancing integration across various sectors in line with their shared aspirations.

The Council of Ministers also highlighted the importance of ongoing consultations between the two countries on all regional and international matters of mutual interest.

Regarding the Royal and official reciprocal visits with several sisterly and friendly countries, and the anticipated resulting economic outcomes, the Council of Ministers stressed the need for both the public and private sectors to maximise the benefits from the agreements, memoranda, and programmes concluded by the Government of Oman.

The Council emphasised the importance of translating these instruments into executable programmes and of capitalising on the promising opportunities and future projects they generate.

At the conclusion of the meeting, His Majesty the Sultan offered prayers, beseeching continued righteousness and success in all endeavours that bring goodness and prosperity to this dear nation and its loyal people.

This is an unofficial English version of an Arabic report. To view the official Arabic text, click here.