Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
UNDERSTAND OMAN
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Oman Today
The Rebirth of Oman
'Renaissance' is a term any visitor to Oman will hear, as it refers to the current period un-
der Sultan Qaboos, a leader held responsible by most of the population for easing the coun-
try into modernity. Before he came to the throne in a bloodless coup in 1970, Oman had no
secondary and only two primary schools, two hospitals run by the American mission and a
meagre 10km of sealed roads. In addition, the country was in a state of civil war.
The country has since caught up with its more affluent neighbours. It now boasts effi-
cient, locally run hospitals, universities, electricity to remote villages and an ever-improv-
ing infrastructure of roads. In January 1992 an elected Majlis ash-Shura (Consultative
Council) was convened as a first step towards broader participation in government. Female
representation on the council is growing (they were the first in the Arab Gulf states to parti-
cipate in this way) and women continue to hold high office in government, including at
ministerial level. The country enjoys an enviably low crime rate and a well-trained and
highly educated workforce.
It is perhaps this latter point that led to the Arab Spring of 2011 in Oman which took its
toll on the country's stability. Oman fell 20 points on the Global Peace Index 2012, pub-
lished by the US Institute for Economics and Peace, although it still ranks among the most
peaceful countries in the Arab world. Local protests, particularly in the northern town of
Sohar, focused less on calls for greater democracy (the sultan is the ultimate authority, with
jurisdiction over even minor policy decisions) than on the lack of opportunities for job
seekers and the slow progress of Omanisation - the process of replacing expatriates with
Omani nationals.
Despite these disturbances, Sultan Qaboos remains a popular leader whose reign is cel-
ebrated with due pomp and ceremony each year. His 'meet the people' tour, where he and
his ministers camp in different regions of the country to listen to local requests, is a good
metaphor for his success. These tours, during which any visiting dignitaries are obliged to
go camping too, are often marked by pennant-carrying camel riders bringing their petitions
across the desert with gifts of goats for His Majesty. Requesting lighting in their village on
