Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the ruler of Oman, passed away Jan. 10. Oman is a country that barely registers when one thinks of the Middle East, but for good reasons. Under Qaboos’ leadership, Oman was transformed into an exemplary Middle Eastern state in practically all areas of development, including education, health, and economy. Moreover, Qaboos leveraged his nation’s diplomatic power and proximity to regional conflict zones to broker peace. While neighboring states seemed to invite discord, Oman sought stability. Qaboos’ named his cousin, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, as his successor to the throne.

Following in Qaboos’ Footsteps

After assuming the mantle of sultan, Haitham vowed to “follow the same line as the late sultan, and the principles that he asserted for the foreign policy of our country, of peaceful coexistence among nations and people, and good neighborly behavior of non-interference in the affairs of others,” according to a Foreign Affairs report. 

Haitham is no stranger to Oman – he served in the Foreign Ministry and as Heritage and Culture Minister. His appointment also does not come as a shock as he was widely believed to be the first choice as successor. 

“He is described by those who have met him as quiet, steady, and a good listener,” Nikita Lalwani, Josh Rubin, and Sam Winter-Levy reported for Foreign Affairs. 

In the past, the 65-year-old Haitham studied at the University of Oxford’s Foreign Service Programme. In addition to numerous Omani honours, he also received the Order of King Abdulaziz from Saudi Arabia, the Grand Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria, and the Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order from Britain. 

Curing an Oil Dependency

While Haitham by all accounts may be as well-liked as his predecessor, likability alone will not solve an oil crisis on the horizon. As is the case with most Middle Eastern states, Oman depends heavily on oil revenues. Haitham attempted to preempt the inevitable outcome of running out of oil while he served in the Foreign Ministry. If any faults can be found in the new ruler, it is his failure to carve out new sources of revenue for his nation. 

Oil accounts for 70 to 85 percent of Oman’s revenues, according to Foreign Policy. A plan outlined by Qaboos, dubbed Vision 2020, was designed to diversify Oman’s economy, but now that the target year has arrived, the plan was extended to 2040. Haitham will have to grapple with creating a path for the future and thus far, no details have made clear what that might entail.

Despite the love of their late sultan, Omanis joined in the Arab Spring protests of 2011 to rally against corruption and unemployment. Qaboos responded by creating more government positions, which largely came through the Royal Oman Police. 

Borrowing a page from the Saudi playbook, Oman instituted an “Omanization” programme designed to curtail migrant workers taking jobs that would otherwise go to Omani citizens. This has arguably hurt private companies more than it has helped citizens. Expats are still prevalent in the workforce, with more than 40 percent of the population being migrants. Often companies will either create unproductive positions for Omanis or simply reduce their foreign worker count and leave the positions unfilled.

While Haitham has inherited a significant economic problem, his predecessor proved even the most difficult and institutionalised problems can be overcome. Qaboos pushed for greater gender equality by giving females the right to vote in 2002, putting women in government posts, and overseeing an employment revolution in which women enjoy equality in opportunities and pay. 

More broadly, Qaboos oversaw the rise of life expectancy from 50 years to 77. When he took the throne, the state had only 10 km of paved road and three schools. Now it boasts 29,000 km of paved roads and education can be considered among the best in the world with 96 percent adult literacy thanks to the establishing of 1,500 schools. 

Diplomatically, Oman helped broker peace between Israel and Egypt, and it mediated talks between the US and Iran during the presidency of Barack Obama, which led to the Iranian nuclear deal. 

Its relationship with the US, in particular, is storied, dating back to the first American president, George Washington. Oman was also the first Arab state to dispatch diplomats to America.

In short, Qaboos handed his successor a prosperous nation, even considering its oil dependence. Haitham, if he makes good on his word to follow the footsteps of his predecessor, will have an easier time than most of his regional neighbors. Continuing Oman’s tradition of peace and diplomacy will allow Haitham to focus his attention on overcoming economic problems, a luxury few are afforded in the current geopolitical climate.

L'articolo Oman’s Throne Passes to Haitham Following Death of Qaboos proviene da InsideOver.

Oman’s ruler of 50 years, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, was declared dead late on Friday. He was 79. Sultan Qaboos received treatment for colon cancer for years. A few days ago, however, he cut short a visit to Switzerland where he was receiving treatment and returned to his country. On Friday, the disease finally defeated him, ending an important chapter in Oman’s life.

Succession

Hundreds of thousands of Omanis and tens of millions of Arabs watched as sultan Qaboos’ body was carried on the road to its last resting place in the Omani capital, Muscat. Haitham bin Tariq was then declared the new sultan of Oman, in a smooth transition in a country whose political waters remained stable for the past five decades.

Haitham was hand-picked by the late sultan after the failure of the board of the royal family in settling on a successor. According to the Omani constitution, the board of the royal family takes three days to select the new sultan if the post is vacant. In case it fails in doing this, the board of the royal family refers the whole matter to the incumbent sultan, if he is alive.

Old hand

Haitham is not new to either the royal court or government work in Oman. Before being picked to be the new sultan, Haitham was the minister of culture of his country. He is a cousin of the late sultan, but he also occupied a long number of official positions that qualify him to steer his country in the coming period.

Haitham ‘s fast-paced selection for the job demonstrated unity within the royal family. There were fears inside and outside Oman that the selection of the new sultan would cause rifts within this Gulf state. Haitham, 66, has a quiet personality. He is a graduate of Oxford University in the UK.

Addressing his countrymen following his swearing in, Haitham said he would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor when it comes to his country’s relations with other countries.

Towering figure

Whether Haitham will find it easy to follow in the footsteps of sultan Qaboos will be seen in the coming days. The late sultan took over the helm of his country in 1970. This was when Oman was a little developed state. However, Oman is a very modern state as sultan Qaboos leaves it. The late sultan used oil revenues in revamping all of his country’s sectors and infrastructure.

At the political level, sultan Qaboos succeeded in making his country a cornerstone of regional and international politics. Sultan Qaboos’ Oman was a main mediator in most of the region’s conflicts. It was friends with all adversaries. It was friends with Iran, and friends with its archenemy, Saudi Arabia. In October 2018, the late sultan showed the length to which he was ready to go in breaking Arab political taboos, when he received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Muscat.

Tough mission

The tough nature of Sultan Haitham’s mission emanates from the difficulty of repeating the distinguished record of his predecessor as well as from the enormity of regional turbulence.

The Middle East is awash with conflicts and economic devastation. In Yemen, just on Oman’s southern border, a war rages on between the Iran-backed Houthi militia which has overrun most of the poor Arab country and kicked its legitimate government out, on one hand, and a coalition led by Saudi Arabia, on the other. Oman is also located in close proximity to Iran where the whole world is looking now, especially with the showdown between the US and the international community, on one hand, and the Islamic Republic, on the other, entering a new stage after the January 8 downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane.

The new sultan will have to chart a policy that protects his country from being mired in all these conflicts, but also one that keeps it involved. Can he do this? The coming days will provide the answer.

L'articolo Sultan Qaboos Of Oman Dies At 79 proviene da InsideOver.

Oman is bracing itself for big news. The country’s ruler of 50 years, Sultan Qaboos bin Said is suffering from frail health, stirring up speculation over who will succeed him. Qaboos reportedly cut short a visit to Belgium, where he traveled to conduct medical tests, and returned to his country, amid rumors that his days are numbered.

Who Will Succeed Sultan Qaboos?

Qaboos came to power in Oman in 1970 after ousting his father in a British-backed coup. Nonetheless, he has never appointed an heir since then. He does not have children to succeed him. Oman’s royal family has to name a successor within three days after the country’s top spot becomes vacant, according to Article No. 6 of the Omani constitution.

Qaboos has already asked the family to do this. He also has the right to name a successor who will take over if the royal family fails to agree on the person who will rule the country. Qaboos has already nominated a successor and written his name. An envelope containing the name of this person will be opened only when and if the royal family fails to choose a successor.

Omanis Fear Political Turmoil Ahead

The fear now is that the Qaboos’ nominee will not be approved by the royal family, which could open the door wide for a power struggle in a country whose political waters have remained stable, even stagnant, for the past five decades.

This confusion and lack of clarity is fueling political insecurity and worries across Oman. Not knowing whether the sultan is even still alive, Omani citizens have taken to social media in recent days to express their worries and fears. One social media user called on Omani authorities to mention the facts about the health of the Omani ruler.

“Omanis are afraid,” wrote another. “This is about time the royal court issued a statement in which it can assure us that the sultan is well.”

Sultan Qaboos’ Accomplishments In Oman

In his 50 years of rule, Sultan Qaboos transformed Oman from a primitive and poorly developed backwater to a very modern and developed nation. He revolutionized Oman’s health and education sectors and established a modern infrastructure, using revenues from his country’s oil sector.

Nonetheless, Oman’s political system has been closed for decades. Sultan Qaboos held absolute power. He did not allow a shred of political sharing or opposition. Almost all government powers are concentrated in the sultan’s hands. He is the minister of defense, the chief of staff of the army and was the foreign minister for a long time in the past.

The Omani State Council, the upper house of parliament, is made up of 83 members, all of whom are appointed by the sultan. The 86 members of the Consultative Assembly, the lower house of parliament, are elected every four years.

Oman faces a potential transition of power at a time of major regional tumult. Over his years in power, Qaboos kept his country away from regional conflict and alliances, which was shocking at times.

He did not attend most of the summits of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the six-nation union of the Arab Gulf, in the past ten years or so. Qaboos is also fond of bucking council political trends, including when it comes to relations with Iran, a country with which he nurtures close ties, even as most GCC states, with the exception of Qatar, consider it an enemy.

Sultan Qaboos’ Rejection Of Saudi Arabia’s War In Yemen

In March 2015, Qaboos turned down a Saudi request for joining the Saudi-led coalition against the Shiite Houthi group in Yemen. Oman even maintains warm relations with the Houthis. In October 2018, Qaboos further shocked many Arabs when he received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the royal palace in Muscat, the capital of Oman. Muscat is the first Gulf capital to openly receive an Israeli head of state.

Now, with the Omani ruler’s health deteriorating rapidly, Omanis do not know which path their country will take in the coming days and whether Oman’s policies will be the same after Qaboos.

L'articolo Sultan Qaboos’ Frail Health Raises Questions On Oman’s Political Future proviene da InsideOver.