Wednesday 07 / January / 2026
Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, has presided over the meeting of the Council of Ministers at Al Alam Palace on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
The meeting discussed various national priority issues and ways to enhance the country’s economic and social performance.
His Majesty expressed his satisfaction with the positive outcomes achieved amid continued national economic growth and the tangible improvement in financial, economic, and social indicators over the past period. He emphasized the importance of maintaining and strengthening this momentum.
During the meeting, His Majesty – may God protect him – commended the significant efforts made by all government entities to achieve national goals. He praised the government’s policies aimed at enhancing the state's financial sustainability, which have effectively contributed to creating an attractive investment environment that stimulates various economic sectors, thereby supporting comprehensive development and promoting the well-being of the Omani society.
His Majesty also directed the Council of Ministers to study and assess behavioral changes in society and to develop clear and well-governed policies and mechanisms that reinforce societal values and positive behaviors, while addressing the negative impacts of social media platforms on community behavior.
The Council of Ministers approved the establishment of the “Oman Global Financial Center,” which will enjoy legislative, administrative, and regulatory independence and will be based on a new financial, judicial, and legislative system aligned with international standards.
The Council also reviewed the key achievements of government entities during the past year, 2025, including the Central Bank of Oman, the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, the Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit, the Tax Authority, the Oman Investment Authority, and the State Financial and Administrative Audit Institution. It also discussed the challenges these entities face, their work plans, and targets for the current year, 2026.
The Council praised the efforts of all government entities and stressed the importance of strengthening these efforts to achieve the goals of Oman Vision 2040 and meet the aspirations of citizens.
It also emphasized the importance of integration among various state institutions and enhancing partnerships with the private sector to achieve the financial, economic, and social indicators and targets of the current five-year development plan. The focus will be on the growth of promising economic sectors expected to create job opportunities and increase the gross domestic product.
As part of the royal attention to accelerating the pace of the National Program for Government Digital Transformation, the Council affirmed the importance of continued cooperation and role integration among government units to make the unified portal a central gateway for delivering government services to beneficiaries, and to enhance the use of artificial intelligence technologies in its development.
