His Majesty issues 16 Royal Decrees
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has issued 16 Royal Decrees as follows:
Royal Decree No. 7/2026 establishes the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, defines its specialisations and endorses its organisational structure.
Royal Decree No. 8/2026 establishes the Oman Global Financial Centre and promulgates its bylaw.
The Decree establishes that the Centre shall have legal personality, enjoy financial and administrative autonomy and report to the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
Royal Decree No. 9/2026 abolishes the Higher Committee for Conferences.
Royal Decree No. 10/2026 defines the specialisations of the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers and endorses its organisational structure.
The Decree establishes that the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers shall have legal personality and enjoy financial and administrative autonomy.
It also transfers to the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers all allocations, origins, rights, obligations and assets of the Government Communication Centre at the Ministry of Information and the Directorate General of Quality and Government Excellence Management at the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit.
It further transfers to the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers the employees of the Government Communication Centre at the Ministry of Information and the Directorate General of Quality and Government Excellence Management at the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit, along with their financial grades.
Royal Decree No. 11/2026 establishes the Research and Innovation Authority, defines its specialisations and endorses its organisational structure.
The Decree establishes that the Research and Innovation Authority shall have legal personality, enjoy financial and administrative autonomy and report to the Council of Ministers.
It further establishes that the headquarters of the Research and Innovation Authority shall be in the Governorate of Muscat. It may establish branches in other governorates by decision of its board of directors.
The Decree also transfers all allocations, origins, rights, obligations and assets related to research and innovation from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation to the Research and Innovation Authority. Employees concerned with research and innovation shall also be transferred, along with their financial grades.
Royal Decree No. 12/2026 amends the name of the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education to the Oman Authority for Quality Assurance of Education, defines its specialisations and endorses its organisational structure.
The Decree transfers all allocations, origins, rights, obligations and assets related to professional licences, national studies and international studies from the Ministry of Education to the Authority.
Royal Decree No. 13/2026 defines the specialisations of the Ministry of Economy and endorses its organisational structure.
The Decree also merges the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit into the Ministry of Economy and transfers all its allocations, origins, rights, obligations and assets, as well as its employees and their financial grades.
Royal Decree No. 14/2026 merges the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation into one ministry named the Ministry of Education, defines its specialisations and endorses its organisational structure.
The Decree transfers all allocations, origins, rights, obligations and assets of both former ministries to the Ministry of Education, along with all employees and their financial grades.
Royal Decree No. 15/2026 defines the specialisations of the Ministry of Social Development and endorses its organisational structure.
Royal Decree No. 16/2026 amends the system of the Oman Investment Authority.
The Decree provides for two deputies to the Chairman, appointed by Royal Decree.
Royal Decree No. 17/2026 restructures the Council of Ministers under the chairmanship of His Majesty the Sultan as follows:
His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Cabinet Affairs
His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq bin Taimur Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs
His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs
His Highness Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of State and Governor of Muscat
Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal bin Saud Al Busaidi, Minister of the Royal Court
Lieutenant General Sultan bin Mohammed Al Nomani, Minister of the Royal Office
Sayyid. Hamoud bin Faisal bin Said Al Busaidi, Minister of the Interior
Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister
Sultan bin Salim bin Saeed Al Habsi, Minister of Finance
Dr Madiha bint Ahmed bin Nasser Al Shibaniyah, Minister of Education
Sayyid Saud bin Hilal bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth
Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Said Al Saidi, Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs
Dr Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Harrasi, Minister of Information
Dr Khamis bin Saif bin Hamoud Al Jabri, Minister of Economy
Sayyid. Ibrahim bin Said bin Ibrahim Al Busaidi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism
Dr Saud bin Hamoud bin Ahmed Al Habsi, Minister of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources
Dr Khalfan bin Said bin Mubarak Al Shuaili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning
Engineer Saeed bin Hamood bin Saeed Al Mawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology
Dr Laila bint Ahmed bin Awad Al Najjar, Minister of Social Development
Dr Mahad bin Saeed bin Ali Baowain, Minister of Labour
Engineer Salem bin Nasser bin Saeed Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals
Dr Mohammed bin Saeed bin Khalfan Al-Maamari, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs
Dr Hilal bin Ali bin Hilal Al-Sabti, Minister of Health
Anwar bin Hilal bin Hamdoun Al Jabri, Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment Promotion
Royal Decree No. 18/2026 makes the following appointments:
Qais bin Mohammed bin Moosa Al Yousef as Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones
Sayyid Faisal bin Hamoud bin Nasr Al Busaidi as Governor of Musandam with the rank of minister
Royal Decree No. 19/2026 appoints two advisers as follows:
Sheikh Dr Ali bin Masoud bin Ali Al Sunaidi as Adviser at the Diwan of Royal Court.
Dr Said bin Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Saqri as Economic Adviser at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
Royal Decree No. 20/2026 grants the rank of minister to Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Zahir Al Hinai, Ambassador-at-Large at the Foreign Ministry.
Royal Decree No. 21/2026 makes the following appointments:
His Highness Sayyid. Harib bin Thuwaini bin Shihab Al Said, as Adviser at the Royal Court, with the same rank and financial entitlements.
Majid bin Saeed bin Suleiman Al Bahri, as Deputy Minister of Education for Administrative and Financial Affairs, with the same rank and financial allocations.
Dr Saif bin Abdullah bin Sulaiman Al Hadabi as President of the Scientific Research and Innovation Authority with the same rank and financial allocations.
Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmed bin Rashid Al Shamsi, as Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development for Family and Community Development Affairs, with the same rank and financial allocations.
Dr Jokha bint Abdullah bin Hamoud Al Shakaili is the head of the Omani Authority for Quality Assurance of Education, with the same rank and financial allocations.
Sayyid Dr Munther bin Hilal bin Badr Al Busaidi, as Head of the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit at the Ministry of Economy, with the same grade and financial allocations.
Sayyid. Badr bin Hamoud bin Rashid Al Kharousi, as Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Education.
Dr Abdullah bin Ali bin Saeed Al Shibli, as Deputy Minister of Education for Higher Education.
Dr Intisar bint Abdullah bin Sulaiman Al Ambusaidi, as Deputy Minister of Education for Educational Support Programmes.
Ghalib bin Saeed bin Majid Al Maamari, as Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Trade and Industry.
Said bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Balushi, as Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labor for Human Resources Development.
Dr Abdullah bin Hamoud bin Abdullah Al Harthi, as Deputy Minister of Social Development for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities.
Dr Yousef bin Salem bin Mohammed Al Hinai, as Head of the Communication and Government Performance Development Unit at the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, with the special grade.
Taher bin Mabkhout bin Ali Al-Junaibi, as Governor of Al-Dhaherah with the special grade.
Engineer Ahmed bin Saeed bin Mohammed Al Amri, as Chairman of Muscat Municipality, with the special grade.
Zaher bin Suleiman bin Salem Al-Salmi, as Deputy Head of the State Financial and Administrative Control Authority for the Supervision of Government Units, with the special grade.
Sayyid. Hamoud bin Sultan bin Hamad Al Busaidi, as Adviser at the Royal Court, with the special grade.
Royal Decree No. 22/2026 appoints two deputies for the Chairman of the Oman Investment Authority as follows:
Mulhim bin Bashir bin Abdullah Al Jaraf as Deputy Chairman for Investment.
Muneer bin Ali bin Nassir Al Muneeri as Deputy Chairman for Operations.
This is an unofficial English version of an Arabic report. To view the official Arabic text, click here.
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