News

Oman Hosts 12th Session of ESCWA Committee on Women in Western Asia Muscat, 8 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman today hosted the 12th session of the “Committee on Women” of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) The 12th session was held within the context of a high-level meeting on the progress made in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action after thirty years. The meeting will be hosted tomorrow by the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Social Development, in partnership with the ESCWA, the Arab League and the ...

Winners of Sultan Qaboos Holy Quran Competition Announced Muscat, 8 Dec (ONA) --- Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science today announced in a press conference the names of winners of Sultan Qaboos Holy Quran Competition (32nd edition). The first winners in each category were announced as follows: Younis Abdullah Al Majfrifi in Level 1 for memorizing the entire Holy Quran; Ibrahim Said Al Sawafi in Level 2 for memorizing 24 consecutive parts of the Holy Quran; Mohammed Khalfan Al Ghuzaili in Level 3 for memorizing 18 consecutive parts; Maisam Ahmed Al Habsi in Level ...

Council of Ministers, State Council Hold Joint Meeting Muscat, 8 Dec (ONA) --- The Council of Ministers and the State Council today held a joint meeting at the premises of the Council of Ministers in Muscat. HH Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmood Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, and some members of the Council of Ministers received Sheikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah Al Khalili, Chairman of the State Council, and members of the State Council’s Office. The meeting took place within the context of joint coordination between the Council of Ministers and the Council of ...

Oman, Cyprus Hold 4th Round of Political Consultations Muscat, 8 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Cyprus today held the fourth round of political consultations at the general diwan of the Foreign Ministry today. The session was chaired by Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Political Affairs Undersecretary at the Foreign Ministry and Andreas S.Kakouris, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cyprus. During the session, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and underlined the joint keenness to continue promoting cooperation in all ...

HH Sayyid Fahd Receives OPEC Secretary General Muscat, 8 Dec (ONA) ---- HH Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers received today Haitham Faisal Al Ghais, Secretary General of the Organizationof thePetroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and his accompanying delegation, currently visiting the Sultanate of Oman. During the meeting, HH Sayyid Fahd affirmed that Oman appreciates the great role of OPEC in coordinating and unifying the petroleum policies of the member states and determining the best ways to protect their ...

Full Scale Shield Exercise 2024 Kicks Off at Muscat International Airport Muscat, 08 Dec (ONA) --- The national exercise titled "Full Scale Shield 2024" began at Muscat International Airport. The exercise is being conducted with the participation of military and security departments, units of the State’s Administrative Apparatus and civil aviation sector companies. The exercise seeks to enhance coordination and integration among the parties concerned to help deal with security challenges and air safety requirements at Muscat International Airport. It also seeks to measure ...

Royal Office Minister Receives UK Military Official Muscat, 8 Dec (ONA) --- Gen. Sultan Mohammed Al Nu’mani, Minister of the Royal Office received in his office here today Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of UK Air Staff and his accompanying military delegation. Gen. Al Nu'mani welcomed the British guest, who expressed his appreciation for the Sultanate of Oman's efforts in promoting cooperation to achieve the two countries' common interests. The two sides exchanged views on several topics of common interest. The meeting was attended by the UK Ambassador ...

RAFO Commander Receives UK Military Official Muscat, 8 Dec (ONA) --- Air Vice Marshal Khamis Hammad Al Ghafri, Commander of the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) received in his office at Al Murtafa’a Garrison today Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of UK Air Staff and his accompanying military delegation. The two sides exchanged views on several military matters of common interest. The meeting was attended by Senior RAFO officers and the Defence Attaché at the British Embassy in Muscat. ---Ends/Thuraiya/AH ...

The Honourable Lady, Spouse of Egyptian President Visit Opera House MuscatMuscat, 8 Dec (ONA) --- Her Highness the Honourable Lady Assayida Ahd Abdullah Hamed Al Busaidi, Spouse of the Sultan of Oman, accompanied by Intisar el Sisi, Spouse of the Egyptian President today visited the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM). HH The Honourable Lady and Spouse of the Egyptian President viewed ROHM’s building which is considered an Omani civilizational and artistic edifice. It is also considered an architectural masterpiece that is inspired by the Omani architectural heritage. During ...

SAF Chief of Staff Receives UK Military Official Muscat, 8 Dec (ONA) --- Vice Admiral Abdullah Khamis Al Raisi, Chief of Staff of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) received in his office at Al Murtafa’a Garrison today Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of UK Air Staff and his accompanying military delegation. During the meeting, the two sides discussed several military topics of common ...

The Honourable Lady Hosts Luncheon in Honour of Spouse of Egyptian PresidentMuscat, 7 Dec (ONA) —— Her Highness the Honourable Lady Assayida Ahd Abdullah Hamad Al Busaidi, Spouse of the Sultan of Oman hosted a luncheon at Al Alam Palace guesthouse today in honour of Intisar El Sisi, Spouse of the Egyptian President, on the occasion of her visit to the Sultanate of Oman.The luncheon was attended by some female Royal family members and senior female figures from both sides.—— Ends/AH ...

The Honourable Lady, Spouse of Egyptian President Visit National MuseumMuscat, 7 Dec (ONA) ——Her Highness the Honourable Lady Assayida Ahd Abdullah Hamad Al Busaidi, Spouse of the Sultan of Oman and Intisar El Sisi, Spouse of the Egyptian President visited the National Museum today.The Honourable Lady and the guest were greeted upon their arrival by Jamal Hassan Al Moosawi, Secretary General of the National Museum.They toured the museum and were briefed about the National Museum’s galleries and unique glimpses of the history and civilization of the Sultanate of Oman.During the visit, ...

The Honorable Lady, Spouse of Egyptian President Hold MeetingMuscat, 7 Dec (ONA) —— Her Highness the Honourable Lady Assayida Ahd Abdullah Hamad Al Busaidi, Spouse of the Sultan of Oman and Intisar El Sisi, Spouse of the Egyptian President held a meeting at Al Alam Palace today.The meeting reviewed some topics of women’s interest and means of enhancing areas of cooperation, in light of the fraternal bonds and the distinguished relations between the two countries and their peoples.The meeting was attended by some female Royal family members and senior female figures from both ...

Cooperation Agreement Signed by Oman Youth Centre, “Sohar Port and Freezone" CompanyMuscat, 5 Dec (ONA) --- The "Youth Centre" in the Sultanate of Oman and “Sohar Port and Free Zone" company today signed a cooperation agreement for supporting the Omani youth programme in the field of logistics. The programme seeks to empower youth operating in the field of logistics, one of the most promising sectors undergoing steady growth in the Sultanate of Oman, notably within the context of developments taking place at Sohar Port. The agreement was signed by Basil Ahmed Al Rawas, ...

Applicants to National Scientific Research Award Reach 274Muscat, 5 Dec (ONA) --- The number of applicants to the National Scientific Research Award in its 11th edition reached 274, of them 167 are Phd holders (or equivalent degrees), while in the category of emerging researchers (non-holders of Phd degrees) the number of applicants reached 107. The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation will announce the winners of the award during the annual researchers’ forum due to be held next Monday, 9 December 2024, in Oman Across Ages Museum. --- Ends/AG ...

OMSB Holds 4th Meeting in 2024 Muscat, 5 Dec (ONA) --- The Executive body of Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) today held its fourth meeting of the year (2024), during which it reviewed projects for the new academic year (2025) and discussed internal accreditation reports on its programmes. The meeting, chaired by OMSB Executive President Dr. Fatima Mohammed Al Ajmi, also looked into changes made to specialized training programmes and reviewed the list of OMSB graduates for Academic Year 2023/2024. --- ...

International Symposium on Atherosclerosis Kicks off Muscat, 4 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Oman Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis and in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, is hosting the 20th International Symposium on Atherosclerosis. The symposium which kicked off today is themed "Towards the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases through Precision Medicine." It will be held till 6 December 2024 at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center. The opening ceremony of the conference was ...

Launch of Experimental Scientific Rocket “Duqm-1” PostponedMuscat, 4 Dec (ONA) --- The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and the National Space Services Company (NASCOM) have postponed the launch of the experimental scientific rocket “Duqm-1” – scheduled today—due to unfavorable weather conditions. The ministry and the company explained in a joint statement that the rocket will be launched when weather conditions improve, given that the process of launching experimental scientific rockets requires precise calculations of weather conditions, ...

Environment Authority Announces Pasture Resting Project in Dhofar Governorate Riyadh, 4 Dec (ONA) --- The Environment Authority (EA) today announced a "Range Resting Project" in Dhofar Governorate. The project’s announcement was made on the sidelines of the Environment Authority’s participation in the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), currently being held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This project was unveiled at the GCC pavilion by Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al Amri, Chairman of the Environment Authority and Head of the ...

UNICEF Oman Launches “Listen to the Future” Campaign Muscat, 4 Dec (ONA) --- UNICEF Oman, in collaboration with government counterparts, business partners, and community leaders, activated a vibrant “Listen to the Future” campaign across the Sultanate of Oman. The campaign highlighted children’s voices and showcased Oman’s commitment to their rights, aligning with Oman Vision 2040. This comes within the framework of celebrating the World Children’s Day (WCD) and the 35th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC35), In line with this ...

Information Minister Receives Director General of GCC Joint Programme Production InstitutionMuscat, 4 Dec (ONA) --- Dr. Abdullah Nasser Al Harrasi, Minister of Information, received in his office today Sheikh Mubarak Fahad Al Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Director General of the GCC Joint Programme Production Institution (GCCJPPI), who is currently visiting the Sultanate of Oman.The meeting dealt with various areas of cooperation in developing media programmes that highlight issues of common concern to GCC states. The meeting was attended by Mohammed Said Al Balushi, Undersecretary of ...

Labour Ministry Launches “Tazamun” Recruitment, Employment System Muscat, 4 Dec (ONA) --- Acting in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence and other military and security services, the Ministry of Labour today launched a new recruitment and employment system named “Tazamun”. A ceremony to this effect was held at Mu'askar Al Murtafa’a Garrison under the auspices of Labour Minister Dr. Mahad Said Ba'Owain. The ceremony included a visual presentation of “Tazamun” system and outlined efforts made to accommodate jobseekers and better serve the nation. Yahya Mohammed ...

Ambassador of Oman Presents Credentials to Armenian President Yerevan, 3 Dec (ONA) --- President Vahagn Khachaturyan of the Republic of Armenia today received Hamoud Salim Al Tuwaih, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus who presented his credentials as Oman’s non-resident ambassador to the Republic of Armenia. During the meeting, the Ambassador conveyed His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s greetings and best wishes of good health and happiness to President Vahagn. He also conveyed His Majesty’s wishes of further ...

Oman Wins Top Award of International Social Security Association Riyadh, 3 Dec (ONA) --- Represented by the Social Protection Fund (SPF), the Sultanate of Oman won the main award dedicated by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) to the best practices in the Asia-Pacific region. The award was conferred on Oman during its participation in the ISSA meeting held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia The main prize was awarded to the Sultanate of Oman in response to its recent project on expanding social protection coverage. The project constitutes a comprehensive national platform ...

Oman, Belgium Sign Declaration of Intent Brussels, 3 Dec (ONA) --- Within the framework of friendly relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Belgium, the two sides signed a joint Declaration of Intent in Brussels today. The move comes in pursuance of a common desire to boost ties and expand bilateral cooperation.The Declaration of Intent seeks to facilitate the entry of holders of Diplomatic, Special and Official Passports between the two countries without a visa for specific periods. It also aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of immigration and ...

Oman Participates in COP16 Session on Combating Desertification Riyadh, 2 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Environment Authority, is taking part in the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The meeting, being held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December, takes the theme “Our Land. Our Future”. Oman’s delegation to the conference is headed by Dr. Abdullah Ali Al Amri, Chairman of the Environment Authority. In his speech, Al Amri stressed the ...

Foundation Stone Laid for New Hospital in South Al Sharqiyah Jalan Bani Bu Ali, 2 Dec (ONA) --- The Ministry of Health celebrated today the groundbreaking of "Al-Falah Hospital" in the South Al Sharqiyah Governorate. The project is to the tune of RO 51,861,148. The event was held under the auspices of Dr. Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agricultural, Fisheries, and Water Resources, in the presence of Dr. Hilal Ali Al-Sabti, Minister of Health. Safe and seamless movement pathways have been designed inside and outside the hospital, ensuring easy access and navigation ...

HH Sayyid Theyazin Launches National System for Evaluating School Performance Muscat, 2 Dec (ONA) --- HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, today presided over the launch of the “National System for Evaluating School Performance” in the Sultanate of Oman. The ceremony was organised by the “Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education (OAAAQA)”. The new system seeks to encourage educational institutions to develop their own internal sub-systems to ensure quality towards the realization of the goals of ...

Oman Participates in Future of Education Forum in Korea Suwon, 2 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Education, took part in the UNESCO International Forum on the Futures of Education 2024, held in Suwon, the Republic of Korea, till 4 December 2024. Oman’s delegation is headed by Amna Salim Al Balushi, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The forum aims to encourage the international community and partners associated with education to renew the ...

National Museum Launches Premiere of Documentary Film “al-Khanjar” Muscat, 2 Dec (ONA) —— The National Museum inaugurated today the premiere of the documentary film "al-Khanjar" produced by RT Arabic in collaboration with the Ministry of Information. The event was held under the patronage of Abdullah Nasser Al Harrasi, Minister of Information, and attended by several distinguished guests and individuals interested in media and museum affairs.The chief guest said in a press statement that the production of the film reflects the strength of Omani-Russian relations in the ...