Oman tops UN list as 'Most Improved Country'

Hey, congrats Oman. The UN just listed The Sultanate as the world's most improved country over the past 40 years. Just in time for the 40 year celebration too.

Oman most-improved nation in last 40 years, UN index says.
The country that has made the most strides in the past 40 years, particularly education, is a small Middle Eastern nation of just three million people: Oman. This is followed by China, Nepal, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

This isn't a surprise: 40 years ago, Oman was still effectively in the dark ages, with no infrastructure and a country locked into a life of subsistence fishing and goat herding. Most people were extremely improverished.

Then HM took over, and Oman's renaissance began.

So, well done HM.


Meanwhile, I see we are keeping up our policy of population control via the fatal accident rate.

4 more killed 
in Oman 
road accident

5 November 2010 MUSCAT — It was another day of tragedy on Oman’s roads on Wednesday with four people killed in a terrible accident in the wilayat of Barka.

The mishap, that also seriously injured six others, occurred when the driver of a speeding three-tonne pick-up heading to Muscat from the Batinah region lost control of the vehicle after one of its tyres burst, police said.

It turned over and landed on the other side of the dual carriageway, colliding with four cars coming from the opposite direction. The four deceased were travelling in the cars; two of them died instantly, while the other two victims succumbed to their injuries later.

The incident, which happened around 7pm, held up traffic on the highway for several hours.

On Tuesday, three youngsters riding motorcycles, died in two separate accidents in Amerat in the capital and Sohar in the Batinah region. The victims in Amerat were two teenagers, aged 15 and 19. They were killed when their bike was hit by a vehicle, one of them dying on the spot and the other in hospital.

In the Sohar incident, the victim, a 21-year-old man, was killed when his motorcycle collided with another vehicle.

Part 2 of Muscat Confidential's exclusive interview with The United States Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman.

The second part of our interview with Dr. Richard J. Schmierer, U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman. (Part one is here).

Muscat Confidential Interviews:
Dr. Richard J. Schmierer, U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman
May 16, 2010

PART TWO


Undercover Dragon: What is your advice to Omanis who are considering studying in the USA? It is rumoured that it is more difficult for Muslims to get visas these days, and that the environment within the States for people from the Middle East is increasingly unsympathetic.

Richard J. Schmierer: I have to disagree just a little here. It’s actually getting easier and easier for Omanis to travel to the United States – we have one of the highest visa-issuance rates in the world here, and the vast majority of visas for Omanis are not only approved, but approved in two business days.

In terms of students, we’ve just gotten the figures for international students in the U.S. for 2008-09, and it was a record year: over 670,000 international students in total, with the number from the Middle East up 17% over 2007-08.

As a destination, I would suggest that the U.S. is one of the best – if not the best – place for a student to go. We have over 4,000 accredited colleges and universities. For a student with ambition and academic ability, there is almost certainly a school that’s an excellent match. Many American colleges and universities are actively seeking students from this part of the world, and many are putting together very attractive financial packages for high-achieving applicants. AMIDEAST, on behalf of the Embassy, runs an excellent program here called EducationUSA that advises on study in the U.S.


UD: Why doesn't the US Embassy host more social events? The British Embassy seem to be better at that - maybe you should think about upping your game?

RJS: I’m pleased that our British and other diplomatic colleagues host social and cultural activities here in Oman; we at the American Embassy are also quite active in this area.

Our approach to such activities may be a little different from some of our fellow embassies, in the way we engage local audiences. We had the public blues concert last month, for example, with about 500 attending (and thanks again for your help in getting the word out), but we also sent the band out to play for students at a primary school and at a private college outside Muscat, where both the students and the musicians had a fantastic time.

I’ve hosted some wonderful events that I’ve found to be great learning experiences – with Omani young people, for example, or with aspiring entrepreneurs – but they tend to be smaller, more private events. We had a marvelous evening with local leaders earlier this year when I visited Masirah Island, and I’m looking forward to hosting more events as I travel within Oman.

Of course, we do host some larger gatherings as well – our annual national-day reception in February, for example, opens the Embassy garden up to 600 or so of our closest friends.


UD: How do you think the USA can best help Oman, and the GCC region, to achieve their development goals?

RJS: I think we can keep doing the kinds of things we have been in recent years: work together, listen respectfully to each other’s priorities, and conduct activities that help bring people together. More and more, we are looking for innovative ways to connect people and organizations in the U.S. with those from Oman and the region. There is a great deal of interest and goodwill on both sides in support of such engagement.


UD: Is Barack Obama planning to meet with His Majesty?

RJS: A presidential visit – or a visit by His Majesty to Washington – would be a wonderful thing. I have a feeling that they would very much enjoy each other’s company; they’re both remarkable people. To be candid, though, there are currently no plans for such a meeting.


UD: How has the election of Barack Obama changed the USA's foreign policy to the Middle East and Oman?

RJS: The President’s Cairo speech last June laid out new directions in a way that was both idealistic and very practical. It means more cooperation, more engagement in areas like entrepreneurship, science, and technology, and a renewed commitment to support peace across the region. In many ways, that speech has become a blueprint for the way forward, and we’re already seeing some very encouraging results.


UD: What mistakes has the USA made recently in its relationship with the GCC region, and what are you doing about it? Does it frustrate you that the USA seems to be blamed for the regions' woes, and is often vilified in segments of the media; yet many 'ordinary' Middle Eastern people love to visit and live in the USA? (and usually seem to have relatives there!)

RJS: I do think that that U.S. sometimes gets an outsize share of both blame and expectations when it comes to regional issues. It’s understandable, I suppose – we’re an easy target.

I’m very glad that people from the region are eager to visit the U.S. and to be engaged with America and Americans; they are very welcome in our country. I’m likewise pleased that the reverse is increasingly true – that we’re seeing more and more Americans who want to know more about this part of the world. Arabic, for example, is the fastest-growing second language being taught in the U.S. now, and here in Oman we’re seeing more and more programs that bring Americans out to study and to teach, both through the U.S. government and privately.


UD: Can you list some specific examples of how is the USA trying to engage more positively with ordinary people in the region?

RJS: That could turn into a very long list indeed. Here in Oman, for example, we have programs like the English Access Microscholarship Program, which provides two years of intensive English to some 280 deserving students across the country who wouldn’t otherwise get that level of training. We have a program called Youth Exchange and Study, YES, which sends high-school students to the U.S. for one school year, where they live and study in American communities. Last year, for the first time, we brought American students to Oman to do the same thing for one semester, and we’ll be doing more of that in the future.

More and more, we’re trying to reach out to younger people, to new audiences like aspiring entrepreneurs, and to do cooperative programming that’s tailored specifically to meet local needs.

One of the broadest and I think most useful ways we’re reaching out is online, through efforts like America.gov, which provides a huge range of information – in English, Arabic, and many other languages – directly to anyone with access to the Internet.


UD: Last year the US State Dept. annual report to Congress on Human Trafficking originally rated Oman "Tier 3", but following protests from the Omani Government this was changed to "Tier 2 Watch List". What happened?

RJS: Actually, it wasn’t protests that moved Oman off Tier 3, but positive, concrete efforts here in Oman to combat trafficking.

TIP – trafficking in persons – is an issue that the American people and the American Congress take very seriously. We work with countries all over the world to encourage best practices and active efforts to help stem this truly terrible assault on human dignity, and we’re required by the Congress to report annually on what each country achieves (we carry out the same kinds of reporting, although through other mechanisms, on ourselves, by the way).

Oman has a lot to be proud of in regard to its work combating trafficking in recent years, and I think our annual TIP report reflects that. By the way, Oman is Tier 2, not Tier 2 Watch List.


UD: Why doesn't the US Embassy allow its citizens to marry at the embassy?

RJS: That’s a complicated question. What it boils down to is that in the United States, marriage isn’t a matter for the federal government (of which the Embassy is a part, falling under the U.S. Department of State), but rather for each of our individual states, which we represent only indirectly, so it isn’t one of the services we can provide to American citizens overseas.


UD: Anything you would like to say to the readers of Muscat Confidential?

RJS: I’m tempted to say: don’t believe everything you read on the Internet! What I will say is that I think the development of outlets like this blog, and the other fascinating English and Arabic blogs now active in Oman, are really changing the way people communicate and share ideas. I’m glad to have the chance to be part of that.


UD: Any advice for Muscat Confidential?

RJS: I wouldn’t presume to advise the dean of Oman’s English bloggers – except perhaps to make sure you quote me accurately. Our Public Affairs staff is fierce, and you wouldn’t want to get on their bad side…

I hope that you and other bloggers, in English and Arabic, will keep up the good work of reflecting on the world around you, thoughtfully, responsibly, and in ways that help your readers and contributors think about their own experiences.


UD: Thank you for answering my questions, Your Excellency.

**Disclaimer: This interview was conducted via email in early May 2010 with the kind assistance of Mr. Daniel M. Pattarini, Assistant Public Affairs Officer with the US State Department, Muscat. The interview was concluded on May 16th, 2010 and is unedited from the original.


Official Bio: DR. RICHARD J. SCHMIERER

Muscat Confidential exclusive: An interview with The United States Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman.

Readers, a special treat for you here at Muscat Confidential this week.

An exclusive official interview with Dr. Richard J. Schmierer, The United States of America's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Sultanate of Oman.

Dr. Schmierer graciously consented to answer my questions about the Embassy, Oman, the Free Trade agreement, US Foreign policy in the region, Israel, Iran, and many other issues. He did not give a "no comment" to any question, even the one about if there is a meeting planned between His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and Barack Obama, US President.

The interview was quite extensive and wide ranging, and I asked a lot of questions, so I'm publishing it in two parts.

The questions and answers are totally unedited and in the order that they were asked. His Excellency's official biography is at the bottom of this first post, if you're interested.


File Photo: Dr. Richard J. Schmierer, US Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman.

Muscat Confidential Interviews:
Dr. Richard J. Schmierer,
U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman
May 16, 2010

PART ONE

The rule was no cameras, no mobile phones. After passing through the large concrete blocks outside the entrance, the polite security screening and with the metallic buzz of the electric lock on the steel door still fading in my ears, I couldn't help but notice the sign "Keep off the grass" on the patch of green between me and the imposing entrance to the US Embassy in Shatti, Muscat.

I stayed off the grass.

Initial security may have been Omani staffers, but the clean cut and noticeably armed Marine inside the heavy glass door certainly wasn't. I was ushered through into a suitably dignified library and promptly commenced my private interview** with Dr. Richard J. Schmierer, the current U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman.



Undercover Dragon: Thank you for granting Muscat Confidential an interview, Your Excellency. This is a bit of a 'first' for the blog, and I'm told this is also your first blog interview.

Richard J. Schmierer: Before we start, a quick word of thanks for the chance to reach out to your readers – I know that lots of people, Omanis and expatriates, regularly check in here. If nothing else, the great audience that came out for our blues concert last month, many of whom apparently read about it here, convinced me of that!


UD: What is the mission of the US Embassy in Oman?

RJS: Like all embassies, our primary role is twofold: to manage the bilateral relationship between our two countries, and to provide services to American citizens visiting and living here.


UD: How did you get to become The United States Ambassador? Are you a career diplomat or a 'political' appointee?

RJS: As Ambassador, I serve at the pleasure of the president, following confirmation by the Senate. I’m a career Foreign Service Officer; this is my thirtieth year as a diplomat.


UD: What does the United States think about the relationship between Oman and Iran?

RJS: It seems very much a part of the Sultanate’s consistent foreign policy over the years of maintaining good relations with all of its neighbors, and more broadly with the world in general.


UD: People are often encouraged by Middle Eastern media to see the United States as being responsible for the Palestinian crisis and that the US back Israel no matter what (even when they continued to build settlements). Can you demonstrate specifically how the United States is not in the pocket of AIPAC and Israel?

RJS: The U.S., of course, is a representative democracy, and our elected officials do listen to their constituents, many of whom feel strongly that Israel is an important ally. Support for Israel is part of our foreign policy. At the same time, though, I think that our support for the Palestinians has been equally clear.

Our position is straightforward: We support a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians co-existing peacefully and with mutual security. We believe that through good-faith negotiations, the parties can mutually agree on an outcome which ends the conflict and reconciles the Palestinian goal of an independent and viable state based on the 1967 lines, with agreed swaps, and the Israeli goal of a Jewish state with secure and recognized borders that reflect subsequent developments and meet Israeli security requirements.

The successful effort to launch indirect talks between the parties is the most recent sign of our resolve.


UD: The United States has long had a foreign policy of support for democracy and human rights. How does the US square this with their continuing support (economically and politically) for non-democratic governments in the region with a tremendously poor human rights record, or extremely questionable democratic credentials, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, or the UAE?

RJS: Every nation, and the United States is no exception, crafts its foreign policy to pursue its ideals as well as its national interests.

In this region, especially, we see that the mechanisms for citizens to participate in public life and influence their societies and their governments take many forms. Our efforts and commitment all relate to the desire to strengthen accountable and responsive governance.

One reason that our Middle East Partnership Initiative has been so successful – including in the countries you mention – is that we’re connecting more and more with grassroots partners who are working toward this goal in a positive way within their own cultural framework. In Oman, for instance, there are people who are building on the country’s long and deep traditions of consultation and consensus, which can be very empowering for ordinary people.


UD: Isn't current US policy in practice essentially a continuation of Kissinger's Real-Politik?

RJS: Which was based on Bismarck’s Realpolitik, which was based on…

I think you can stretch out historical analogies until they’re not all that useful. American foreign policy is based on the evolving reality of the world around us – in the context of consistent values, which include peace, stability, respect for human rights, and others – and the best interests of the American people.


UD: Muscat Confidential has always promoted the position that freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of association are far more fundamental and important to attaining the core principals of human rights and democracy than the mere act of balloting or casting votes (as recent events in Iran demonstrate, in my opinion). Do you have any opinion on the relative importance to the USA of freedom of speech, and a free press, vs voting (but where there is severe repression of the press)?

RJS: I think that these are interconnected issues. They’re certainly issues that different countries – even countries with which we have excellent relationships, like Oman – handle quite differently. In the United States, from our earliest days we have had a strong commitment to freedom of speech; some might say that we’ve promoted freedom of speech at the expense of other considerations, such as respect for authority, public decency, etc.

The freedoms enshrined in our Constitution – freedom of speech, of assembly, etc. – are at the very heart of our ideas about government, and in general I think Americans agree that they are worthwhile and underpin a system that works quite well.

You make a good point: an informed citizenry is important to an effective electoral process. The balance of freedoms is important: it’s no use assembling if you can’t speak freely; it’s less useful to speak freely if you have no impact on governance. And, as your question suggests, the process of electing leaders is enhanced to the extent that such a process takes place in a robust information environment.


UD: What foreign aid does the US supply to Oman?

RJS: Foreign assistance in our system comes primarily from the U.S. Agency for International Development -- USAID -- which is not active in Oman. That said, we do carry out various kinds of other cooperation – educational and professional exchanges, for example, like the Fulbright Program or the Humphrey Fellowships. The Middle East Partnership Initiative has a small-grants program that local organizations have taken advantage of, as well as larger programs that are usually regional in nature. Those programs do things like provide American private-sector expertise in areas such as developing small- and medium-sized businesses or supporting Oman’s own work in improving educational administration.


UD: How has the Free Trade Agreement impacted trade between Oman and the US? Can you give us some specific examples of the types of changes and new businesses that have come about? How can an Oman-based business make best use of the FTA to start businesses or boost profits? What advice would you give to Omani business men and women about how to export to the USA?

RJS: The FTA has set the stage for significant increase in future trade, not least because of the ways that reaching the agreement spurred advances in Oman’s commercial law, intellectual property law, and government procurement process, all of which helped create a more conducive trade and investment environment for businesses in the U.S. and Oman.

As it happened, the FTA came into effect in January 2009, just as the global economic crisis took hold in the region and internationally. As a result, we have not yet seen the immediate results that we would like to have seen. Even so, our bilateral trade reached a healthy $2 billion last year and is set to continue to grow.

Over the past several months, we have noticed a marked increase in the number of Omani and American businesses looking to take advantage of the FTA, the cause of which isn’t just the economic turnaround. Private-sector businesspeople are increasingly looking to introduce to Oman companies that are considering opening a Middle East office and to publicize opportunities available here to the business community in the U.S. Such private-sector activities are a welcome development – they indicate that the Omani economy is seen as increasingly welcome to new business.

The Embassy also plays a vital role in advising companies considering entering the Omani market. Sectors in which we have recently seen an increased interest include tourism and renewable energy.

As for advice? I think the best thing that Omanis interested in doing business in the U.S. can do is to make sure they have the information they need to make solid decisions. Online, sites like Entrepreneurship.gov, the FTA homepage, and our Commercial Section’s homepage can be good places to start. Of course, our Commercial section is always eager to assist on such matters.

Coming in Part Two:
Advice for Omani's wanting to get a visa or study in the USA; Why you and I don't seem to get invited to the US Embassy to party; Barack Obama and His Majesty: will there be a meeting?; America's new foreign policy in the region - the impact of the Obama administration; the official view on the infamous Human Trafficking report and Oman's Tier 3 rating; getting married at the Embassy; and a friendly word to Muscat Confidential's readers and other bloggers!


**Disclaimer: Not really, this scene setting above is totally imaginary. The interview did NOT take place at the US Embassy but was conducted via email in early May 2010 with the assistance of Mr. Daniel M. Pattarini, the talented Assistant Public Affairs Officer with the US State Department, Muscat. The interview was concluded on May 16th, 2010 and is unedited from the original.

Official Bio: DR. RICHARD J. SCHMIERER

Ambassador of the United States of America To the Sultanate of Oman

Richard J. Schmierer was sworn in as Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman on August 20, 2009, after being confirmed by the United States Senate on July 10, 2009. He previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Department of State's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs from June 2008 through July 2009.

Ambassador Schmierer is a career Foreign Service Officer and a member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor. He began his diplomatic career in 1980, with assignments in Bonn, Frankfurt, and Hamburg, Germany, through 1984. He then served a three-year assignment at the American Consulate General in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (1985-88). From 1988 through 1992, Ambassador Schmierer served at the headquarters of the U.S. Information Agency, and then from 1992 through 1996 at the U.S. Embassy in Bonn, Germany. He returned to Saudi Arabia in 1997, where he served as Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh until 2000.

From 2000 through 2004, Ambassador Schmierer was Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, followed by an assignment as Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad from 2004 to 2005. He taught at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, from 2005 to 2007, during which time he published a book entitled "Iraq: Policy and Perceptions." From June 2007 through June 2008 Ambassador Schmierer served as the head of the Office of Iraq Affairs at the U.S. State Department.

Ambassador Schmierer holds a B.A. degree from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, along with Masters and Doctoral degrees from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is married to Sandra J. Schmierer, also a long-time employee of the U.S. State Department. They have three grown children.

CAYC Saved - British Ambassador raises issue with HM

After years of intimidation, inducements, eviction notices, ancient deeds and legal wrangling in multiple courts, it seems a bit of common sense and a lot of wasta has done the trick for CAYC.

The embattled Yacht club had a meeting with The British Ambassador, Dr Noel Joseph Guckian OBE, a couple of weeks ago. The Ambassador lives in his gorgeous official residence on the cliff/ridge above CAYC and the Marina.



Photo: The British Ambassador's residence above The Marina and CAYC, ripped from Rougetete


I think its safe to assume he wasn't too pleased at the grand designs of the Ministry of Tourism for the CAYC's quiet little bay either.




Well, it seems last week, the Ambassador had an audience with HM Sultan Qaboos, and mentioned the CAYC problem, in between discussing important matters of state and topics of mutual interest.

Presto.

File Photo: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. HM signed the original deed of gift for the CAYC land.

As a result, CAYC is saved (at least for now), as long as they do some improvements and tidy up a bit.

Victory. Thanks to HM. It was that simple all along. What's crazy is that it always seems to take a personal intervention by HM to have common sense win the day.

CAYC are continuing their court cases until the rescue is confirmed and legal. Which may seem cautionary, but is sensible. MoT's grand design may well be shelved, but it won't be scrapped. They'll be back in a couple of years I'd bet.

Muscat Confidential has always been a big fan of CAYC. It's the only such club in Oman and has long been a haven for middle class locals and expats alike, who don't have military or PDO club access and want a simple, reasonably priced place to have a boat and take the family.

The 'plan' of the Ministry of Tourism to give them, in exchange, some crappy spare land at the Aviation Club near Seeb showed how little they pretend to know about tourism. The Aviation club is on the straight flat endless muddy beaches that stretch from the Crown Plaza to... Al Sawadi, and where there is nowhere pretty to sail/boat to, nowhere to snorkle, just bare sand-bottomed ocean. It is totally unlike their current protected bay, replete with rocks, good sand, Cat Island, and the sailing paradise of BK right next door. That's of course why the Tourist development would be in CAYC's bay and not at Aviation Club in the first place! LOL.

So well done Dr. Guckian.

And apologies to His Majesty on behalf of the Minister of Tourism for having had to waste your time on petty stuff like this, when you've got a country to run and everything. I guess good help really is hard to find, as they say. One might remind the Minister and her OMRAN Development arm that they seem to have an awful lot of suspended and abortive Integrated Tourist/Resident developments already on their plate...

Perhaps they could pull their finger out and invest their time and energy getting those current project done before abusing their power trying to steal other people's land for yet another development?

Oman and HM in the British Press over controversial UK member of Parliament Alan Duncan

Interesting article published yesterday in the low-brow UK Tabloid the Daily Mail, about the UK Member of Parliament (and ex-oil trader) Alan Duncan, and his frequent holidays in Oman as a guest of His Majesty.

Alan is in a spot of bother over the UK's MP Expenses scandal, and the comment he made to a hidden camera complaining about the low 65k salary he gets as an MP. (Personally I think he's right, it's not exactly a huge salary, even for a part-time job).

But as a part of the debacle and his recent (slight) demotion in the Tory party, the UK press are delving into his many free holidays here in the Sultanate as a guest of HM. The gifts he received were, I'm sure, just the standard xmas cracker trinkets HM regularly provides his guests as a good host, but to the average reader of the Daily Mail - who probably wouldn't know what a French Cuff was in the first place - its all shocking, absolutely shocking.

The article also has some miscellaneous photo's of HM that really have nothing to do with the story at all, and you can follow the link to read the whole thing.

I think it's cute that Alan proposed to his partner while here on Valentines Day.

It would be nice if we could get the world press to stop referring to us 'Oil rich Middle Eastern country etc'. Its not really the association we want. Suggestions:
- Beautiful and peaceful Indian Ocean country, famed for its world class beaches and exotic holiday destinations.
- Oldest independent Middle Eastern nation, with a stable enlightened Government and a rich tradition of tolerance and friendliness.

Other suggestions readers?

Whining Tory Alan Duncan's £1m Gulf War oil 'rations' and glittering gifts from Sultan of Oman

Daily Mail 11th September 2009

...

In the past decade he has spent a staggering 99 days living it up in luxury in Oman - the tab picked up by the Sultan's government. Gifts from the same source include five watches, three sets of cufflinks, and a 'traditional Omani coffee pot and incense burner'.

He even had his appendix removed for free while on holiday there. No chance then, at least, of the 'rations' causing any problems as they work their way through Mr Duncan's system.


Photo: Alan Duncan (left) proposed to his partner James Dunseath (right) on Valentine's Day while in Oman

...

Having become the first Tory MP to come out as gay in 2002, last year he entered a civil partnership with his partner, 40-year-old, James Dunseath, a press officer in the City.

Mr Duncan proposed to Mr Dunseath on Valentine's Day while in Oman - a place that the politician knows particularly well. His links with the oil-rich Middle-Eastern country stem from his work, but as a politician he has been a regular visitor. Indeed, almost without fail he spends New Year there as a guest of the Sultanate and rarely returns without a valuable trinket or two. When struck down with appendicitis during a visit there in 2000, he was treated for free in the Royal Hospital.

While denying suggestions that there is anything improper in his relationship with the Omani regime, his outside business interests have caused problems.
...

Congratulations Oman, on another National Day!

Yes, Oman this week celebrates their 38th National Day, as it's 38 years since His Majesty Sultan Qaboos took power from his father and started the task of taking Oman from what was then an unknown backwater stuck in the Middle Ages, to the modern developing country it is today.

I'd like to add my congratulations too.

May His Majesty continue to rule his country with success and wisdom for many, many, more years to come.

Enjoy the fireworks, parades, soak up the pride in your country, and during the holiday next week perhaps think about what you can do to make things better. Its not like HM can do it on his own.

I know some of my Omani readers think that sometimes I'm a bit too carping and critical about Oman's occasional foibles and problems, but I believe in the principal of an honorable opposition and in the value of criticism to lead to improvement. Sometimes a third party can see things that those blinded by nationalism cannot.



It was perhaps a nice present to read that Merrill Lynch thinks Oman's economy is the most robust in the GCC, and is among the world’s 10 least vulnerable economies. Although that's an opinion to be somewhat tempered by the fact that
(a) it's written by Merrill Lynch [hardly "one of the world’s leading financial management and advisory companies" any more], and
(b) contains places like Nigeria.

But still, better than our regional neighbors and certainly one of the nicest in the list too.

Happy National Day everyone. Try not to get too caught in the traffic!!

Merrill Lynch list of the world’s 10 least vulnerable economies

Oman has one of the world’s ten least vulnerable economies
Times News Service
Monday, November 17, 2008

MUSCAT — A major boost was given to Oman’s quest for foreign investment inflow at the weekend as the country was named among the least vulnerable economies in the world, according to a report, Global Economics, compiled by a team of experts from Merrill Lynch.

Oman is the only country from the AGCC which makes it to the elite list. Merrill Lynch is one of the world’s leading financial management and advisory companies, providing financial advice and investment banking services.

The report was compiled following several data requests from clients of the investment bank for key risk indicators for all major economies including Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

According to the statistics, the world’s 10 least vulnerable economies are Nigeria, Mexico, the Philippines, Colombia, Egypt, Oman, Indonesia, Peru, China and Russia. Also, the report identified Australia, Switzerland, Korea, Romania, Hungary, Sweden, Bulgaria, Euro area, the United Kingdom and the United States of America as the highest risk economies in the world.

The risk ranking was based on seven indicators and they are — current account financing gap, foreign exchange reserves/short-term external debt ratio, private credit-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio, and private credit growth, loans to deposits and banks capital-to-assets ratio.

Merrill Lynch said the report also addressed all the requests in 62 indicators of the 60 world economies.

Massive sell-offs in the regional stock markets early this week triggered panic selling on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) as well.

“The MSM is oversold and the fall is overdone. Oil price crash is the reason behind the negative sentiment in the region. Oil price has fallen below $55 which has led to panic selling in the markets,” said Sunil Dhall, vice-president of Gulf Bader Capital Markets.

“The sentiment was completely negative across the board with all sellers and few buyers,” Dhall said. “Any fall below $50 will see a massive production cut by Opec and that level will be defendant,” he said.

Experts, however, continue to believe that the Omani macro story remains intact and the fundamentals are sound even with oil at the current price.

“We expect foreign inflows to resume once the stock markets worldwide stabilise. This is being witnessed in the stock market today where selective enquiries in stocks like Oman Cables, Voltamp Energy is being witnessed from overseas investors while bargain hunters continue to buy in frontline stocks like BankMuscat and Galfar Engineering,” industry experts say.

Diwan and Ministry of Tourism manage to get bad press for His Majesty in the UK

An interesting story in the UK press yesterday (as linked to by the always on the ball Muscati) is all about how the Sultan of Oman has spoilt Christmas. I for one would not like to be the person responsible for getting HM named in a headline like this:

Oman holiday plans wrecked by Sultan.
Thousands of travellers face losing their Christmas holidays in Oman after Sultan orders hotels to be emptied for a conference.

.
This is bad. It makes HM look like he himself decided to personally play the lead role in an Omani version of The Grinch who stole Christmas.


Ah yes: The combined forces of administrative excellence embodied by the civil servants at the Diwan (Royal Affairs) and the Ministry of Tourism have apparently managed to ruin the holiday plans of hundreds of tourists who had hoped to come here in the height of the peak season.

The poor tourists had understandably pre-booked hotels and flights some time ago. Only to have the Diwan tell the Ministry of Tourism (sic) to just go-ahead and confiscate all Oman's best hotel rooms for the period Dec 24 - Dec 30th. The poor English dears can't be blamed for not knowing that hotel bookings are not required in Oman for those with enough Wasta.

Here's one of the letters (source: Daily Telegraph) from the Ministry of Tourism...


So, I would think a potentially career limiting move by who-ever was responsible. I notice the letter was sent over the signature of one HE Mohammed Al Tobi, MOT Undersec. Well done the Minister for delegating that one. OK, they might need the hotels, but to imagine that you can, in a tourist market as limited as Oman, in peak season during Xmas/New year, just give 2 months notice via letter to summarily take all the rooms in the 6 best hotels, and without paying compensation, is naive to say the least. It doesn't matter that the Government own the hotels.

You can still see that news of the Diwan's block booking has yet to filter through to the travel agents, eg here at 'The Holiday Place'.co.uk.

Special Quiz for my Non-Native English speaker readers:
Test your knowledge of quaint traditional English idiom! Can you arrange the following 4 words/phrases to describe the diplomatic, Public Relations and commercial skills of the Omani Government's organisers of accomodation for the GCC conference?
1- organise
2- in a brewery
3- couldn't
4- a piss-up

(Answer at the bottom of the page)

Unfortunately, I suspect this is a story that will be picked up across the world. Someone in the Diwan and Foreign Affairs Ministries - and perhaps someone a little more senior than those perviously in charge? - should get on the case and act fast to provide compensation and turn the story into more of a "There is a Santa! - Generous Sultan rescues Christmas for hundreds of English families"...

here's the full article - I especially like the last line...
what a load of muppets.

Oman holiday plans wrecked by Sultan
Thousands of travellers face losing their Christmas holidays in Oman after Sultan orders hotels to be emptied for a conference.

By Charles Starmer-Smith
24 Oct 2008

The Christmas holiday plans of thousands of travellers wanting to visit Oman have been wrecked after their hotel bookings were cancelled to allow the Sultanate to stage a conference.

The Gulf Co-operation Council Summit (GCC), attended by the heads of state of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Oman, was originally scheduled for June last year, but was postponed because of the cyclone that struck Oman. It was rescheduled for November 18-26, but on Tuesday of this week was moved to December 26-30, the peak week for travel.

Every room in six of Oman’s leading hotels, including two Shangri- La properties, three Intercontinentals and the Grand Hyatt, is being given over to those attending the conference – a move that one British tour operator said is likely to result in legal action.

“It is outrageous. I am stunned by their arrogance,” said Nick Van Gruisen, managing director of The Ultimate Travel Company. “This will put the many operators who have booked rooms in good faith in breach of their contract with their holidaymakers. We have been given seven weeks’ notice and it will be impossible to find them alternative Christmas holidays at this late stage.”
Mohammed Al Tobi, the under-secretary for the Omani Ministry of Tourism, this week wrote to the general manager of the Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, in which the two Shangri-La properties are housed, and ordered “that immediate measures be taken to ensure that both the Al Bandr and Al Husn hotels will be at the complete disposal of the Diwan of the Royal Court [central body of bureaucratic affairs] from December 24-30”.

Mr Van Gruisen said that customers of his company who were due to travel to Oman had already paid and had been left with their Christmas plans in tatters. Many might feel inclined to boycott the country as a holiday destination in future.

Lesley Rollo, managing director of Thomson Worldwide, said that it would give a full refund to all clients whose holidays have been affected by the conference.

Holidaymakers who have booked rooms in the six hotels independently will not be entitled to refunds on their flights and have little hope of finding other accommodation.

Hoteliers in Oman said they have been given no choice but to try to send customers elsewhere or make refunds.

Tony Zamora, director of operations at Intercontinental Hotels Group in Oman, said it only received confirmation on Tuesday that the summit was to take place, and all three of its hotels in Muscat – the Al Bustan Palace Intercontinental Muscat, the Intercontinental Muscat and the Crowne Plaza Muscat – were needed.

“We already have a number of reservations for this period and are truly sorry for the inconvenience this is likely to cause. We will work with our travel partners to make alternative arrangements, including offering accommodation at our sister hotels in the region and alternative dates at the hotels affected,” said Mr Zamora.

A spokeswoman confirmed that the hotels have nearly 550 people booked in during that period.

A spokesman for the Shangri-La hotel group said it had no choice but to follow the directive, but added that all deposits for rooms in the Al Bandar and Al Husn will be refunded. “This is a situation that is entirely out of our control as these are directives from the highest levels of authority within the Sultanate of Oman and we are compelled to comply,” he said. “We sincerely regret the disruption and distress this will cause.”

Sean Tipton, a spokesman for Abta, said the situation could be damaging for the hotels and the destination as a whole.

The Oman Tourist Board was unavailable for comment as we went to press.

3-1-4-2

His Majesty points out how crap Omani Journalists are

Spooky. Who would have thought?

HM issued an instruction earlier this week that all Omani new reporters and journalists are to be given extensive training to get them up to commonly accepted international standards. It’ll be interesting to see how that works, with the pervasive and restrictive self-censorship that occurs in the local rags apparently caused more at the editorial level than by the chaps in the engine room.

So, its HM mandated training for the boys and girls of Oman’s glorious 4th Estate. (I suspect the Pulitzer Prize is pretty safe in US hands for a while yet!) The program will be run by the Ministry of Information, an oxymoron if ever there was one for a Ministerial title.

I wonder if Essa will sign up too?

The only slightly ominous part is the little bit in the story that "The Ministry of Information began to enumerate and classify local press personnel towards the development of a database of their qualifications, current experience." [that's their sentence structure BTW, not mine. Perhaps some English grammar training as well...].

And they will all be interviewed by the MOI too. Hmmm. I bet that will be fun. No wonder (according to the Ministry of Information) "The journalists and media persons valued the Royal gesture." I'm surprised they didn't say "greeted with delight..."


Royal orders to conduct training for Omani journalists, media personnel

MUSCAT — His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has issued orders to conduct training courses and programmes for all Omani journalists and media personnel. Hamad bin Mohammed al Rashdi, Minister of Information, said that the Royal directives are aimed to upgrade the skills of Omani journalists and media personnel to a professional level that reflects the development witnessed by the world media and the progress achieved by the Sultanate in various spheres. During his visit to the Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) yesterday, the minister stressed that the training programmes will be available to all Omani journalists and media personnel in government and private establishments.

The courses will be conducted in stages starting locally and culminating at leading Arab and international journalism and media organisations. Al Rashdi added that the programmes will also cover technical staff whose work is directly related to the press. The Ministry of Information began to enumerate and classify local press personnel towards the development of a database of their qualifications, current experience. Accordingly, training requirements will be decided in tandem with the duties and responsibilities of the journalists/media personnel, he said. The journalists and media persons valued the Royal gesture which, they said, comes within the context of His Majesty’s keenness on promoting the capabilities of Omanis in all nation-building fields.

They noted that the Royal gesture is a strong evidence of the important role the Omani media play in promoting the Omani society"s culture towards further higher grades of progress. In its preparatory stage, the ministry has started registering all Omani journalists from the media for further training in their respective fields of specialisation in the very near future. In its preparatory stage, entrants will attend interviews supervised by the ministry. The courses will be conducted by prominent journalists and academicians in this respective field from within the country and abroad. Qualifying entrants will further train at prestigious media institutions overseas.

HM makes Forbes Royal Rich List

In the news yesterday, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos makes the Forbes List of The World's Richest Royals, in 10th spot with an estimated $1.1 billion, behind Prince Albert of Monaco. He also made the ‘cover photo’ of the article, which is not surprising as, IMHO, he is clearly the best looking of all the Royals listed.

Following is Forbes’ ranking of the world’s richest royals:
1. $35 bln King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thailand)
2. $23 bln Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan (United Arab Emirates)
3. $21 bln King Abdullah (Saudi Arabia)
4. $20 bln Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (Brunei)
5. $18bln Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum (Dubai)
6. $5 bln Prince Hans Adam II (Liechtenstein)
7. $2 bln Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (Qatar)
8. $1.5 bln King Mohammed VI (Morocco)
9. $1.4 bln Prince Albert II (Monaco)
10. $1.1 bln Sultan Qaboos bin Said (Oman)
11. $1 bln Prince Karim Al Husseini (Agha Khan)
12. $650 mln Queen Elizabeth (Britain)
13. $500 mln Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah (Kuwait)
14. $300 mln Queen Beatrix (Netherlands)
15. $200 mln King Mswati III (Swaziland)

While I suspect if anything the Forbes estimate is a little low, given the recent oil prices, one has to remember that HM tends to use his personal income in large part to provide such gifts as free housing and other things to the people, built the Grand Mosque out of his own pocket, plus he has a very large number of associated Omani Royals to look after too.

Note the important disclaimer:

...
Keep in mind that the wealth of the royals comes from inheritances or positions of power; it is often shared with extended families and often represents money controlled by them in trust for their nation or territory. For these reasons, none of the 15 royals on this list would qualify for our annual ranking of the world's billionaires, regardless of their net worth.

Because of technical and idiosyncratic oddities in the exact relationship between individual and state wealth, these estimates are perforce a blend of art and science.
...

Google Earth & HM's Barka Palace

OK.as promosed. for thode of you who can't be bothered to load Google Earth, Here's HM's palace from afar

And here's the close up. Nice pool.
Any guesses what the round structure is north of the pool?

HM's Aunt's Palace: Ain't that sweet?

A friend of a friend was playing around on the (amazing and simply fabulous) Google Earth, and came across this wonderous image. He forwarded me the link.

It's the farm and palace of His Majesty's Aunt, just down the road from HM's place at Barka.

And its in the shape of a heart. Isn't that sweet?

23°38'43.92"N 57°59'16.15"E

Rare interview with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos

Reported today in the Oman Tribune is an extensive interview with HM by a Kuwaiti journalist. The interview is pretty obsequious, but some of the answers are of great interest. Its in English, although not so much a translation from the original Arabic than a transliteration, so be aware that it would read a lot better if properly translated into English! (HM speaks perfect English, naturally).

He doesn't really ask (or report asking) any real tough questions, but it still gives some insight into what drives HM, his vision, and his steer on issues such a Government and development. Given HM's pretty snappy tone in reply to question 2, I can see why the questioner was at pains to answer gentle and open questions!

I’ll highlight 3 QAs, you can read the rest yourself if interested:

Firstly, on his state of health:

Q: Your Majesty, your people and the peoples of the region who followed up the march of the Renaissance want to be assured about your health.
A: I am here in front of you and I believe that you see me enjoying full health and welfare although when we grow old, our bodies become tired and whenever your bodyweight suffers an increase or decrease, many may believe that the man is sick. We have to remember that following a good diet is a treatment. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "We are a nation that eats not until it feels hungry and when we eat , we don't stop until we are satisfied. The balance in diet means health and not bad health. I am fine and absorbed in the affairs of my country, which are my real health. I am here in front of you Mr Ahmed, hale and hearty following the same daily programme and the affairs of the country meticulously. As I told you earlier, I go to sleep with a clear mind, follow the news around me , the news of those whom we affect or get affected by and always remembering Allah, we feel serenity.

I wake up from my sleep relaxed the next morning and start follow-up paper work in front of me with accuracy because I don't like making mistakes in any decision. Whatever I approve, I will sent to the respective departments for implementation. Before making decisions , I reconsider them several times to make sure that they are sound right and that I did not make wrong . The land and people of Oman are in my heart and mind. My post is a rather a responsibility than a privilege. I told you we are delegated by our nations and our mission is to serve this nation that reacted with us to achieve the Omani Renaissance.

Secondly, On why Oman allegedly refused the immediate offers of external aid during the cyclone recovery last year.

Q: Your Majesty, when Cyclone 'Gonu' hit the Sultanate recently, it was said that you rejected any assistance, does this means that you do not need any favour that would be followed by harm?
A: That is not the right description, we did not reject assistance as critically suggested in your question. When the cyclone had come and gone, I and my people were able to identify the disaster's results. We also wanted to test our strength in the face of such a disaster, our people were subjected to such a test and I tell you that we succeeded. Such a test has waken up the people and the Omani nation whom we found stood united as one and capable of discharging its duty. Unfortunately, there are some people who figured out this disaster as God's punishment, such people are interpreting away from the Shariat cause. Let us take this issue as a warning from God so that people would understand that life is not always without hardships and therefore, they should be prepared for all that is ordained on them and this is natural. We should always say, Thanks God for what he has ordained and for his kindness. Such natural disasters in other countries are common, and permanent and not exceptional. What happened to us may happen once or twice, we consider it an exception if we compared with others who are experiencing disasters annually or repeatedly. With a high level of national cooperation and sentiments we were able to face this disaster, and I was extremely delighted for the Omani people's cooperation with which we were able to overcome such a cyclone with believing hearts free from any panic, fear or chaos.

And third, on the inflation issue:
Q: Your Majesty, under such circumstances, what about inflation in your country and will the current oil prices lead to more development?
A: Inflation is not that worrying and is not so major. It varies from other countries in which inflation reaches high figures. Our inflation is not that critical and when reaching a specific figure sometimes, it can be described as a healthy condition for speeding up growth. No doubt, oil prices have increased the income, and if so, as experts say, such prices may not continue. Its reaching such a stage was due to dollar devaluation. However, I cannot offer speculation in this regard, but had a decline taken place, as experts say, it won't be a major one. Let us leave the oil prices to Supply and Demand. They say that world oil reserves are full and that the market is flooded with oil, but these are the prevailing prices. No doubt that the oil prices will reflect on volume of funds in the region as it is the case in the Oman.


full article

Muscat Harbour Closed for 3 days

It was interesting to hear yesterday that the Muscat port is being closed for 3 days. Why? The port logistics guys (were weren't too thrilled I must admit, as they have stuff to do) said it was because His Majesty is paying the port a visit. Heh heh. I bet HM will be going for a spin in the new boat. Personally, I'd be like a kid on Xmas morning, just eager to open the presents. There aren't many times that anyone anywhere could get the sort of rush I imagine one gets on first opening a $400 million present.

If anyone is out there and can email a pic, I'd love to post it.

HM Gets a new toy

UPDATE: Prompted by the self serving whine-post linking here on the Sabla by Balqis, and for those who feel - like Balqis - that this post is some kind of unacceptable breach of HM's right to privacy, please take the time to check out the ultimate in hypocritical comments: while bitching about how much of an affront this post was, she was busy giving a day by day, blow by blow of HM's trip to Italy including pictures of HM and even more comments about, and pictures of, his yacht. LOL. What a total muppet. Enjoy!

Word is that His Majesty's new 'super-yacht', Al Said (renamed from its earlier working name Sunflower), will finally pull into port next week, following extensive post-commissioning work on the interior and shake down. Here's a pic.



You can see more at (believe it or not, these people exist) shipspotting.com Its big. No, really really big. At 155metres (about 508 feet) long, based on length it will be (for a whle at least) the second biggest in the world, just behind Sheik Maktoum's Platinum/Golden Star. [But that one was a cast off from out-of-favour and too broke Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei]. Check out all the biggies here and drool.

The old Al Said, built in 1982 and a mere 104m (but is still ranked a reasonable 16th in the world by length) will be taken over by the Ministry of Tourism and turned into a super-luxury cruising boat for really wealthy tourists. Nice.