MUSCAT - The most important event in the modern history of the Sultanate of Oman was the takeover of power in a bloodless coup by the then 29 year old Sultan Qaboos from his father on 23rd July, 1970.

That night is unforgettable to the Omanis, who danced joyfully in the streets, welcoming an era of vigour and vitality.

Though every passing year reminds us of the achievements Oman has been making under the wise leadership of Sultan Qaboos, 2010 has special significance because the Omanis completed four decades of nation-building and are about to usher in a new phase of development. When the people of Oman look back, their hearts are filled with satisfaction, pride and fulfilment for being able to attain most of the goals they aspired to.

If we look at the contemporary modern history of nations, we realise that a country takes decades to lay the foundation of a modern state and fine-tune its domestic and foreign policies. But the Sultanate of Oman has proved to be an exception to the rule. In just years 40-plus it has showcased the country as an oasis of peace with modern infrastructure, a high standard of living, state-of-the-art institutions and above all a clean, efficient and proactive government.

The Sultanate’s domestic and foreign policies and its principled stand on regional and global issues have won accolades from world leaders and international organisations, raising the country’s standing and profile in the community of nations.

Oman’s impressive growth is a source of inspiration for most developing countries, particularly in areas concerning human development. It is cited as an ideal form for improving the living standards of millions of economically weak people across the globe.

“It’s a matter of pride for all of us to see our country at the top of UN Human Development Index released recently. In fact, our professional work and daily life are a testimony to the country’s progress since 1970 and international reports and surveys only corroborate what we see now”. That was what a renowned Omani business executive told me during my stay in Muscat recently.

Sultan Qaboos expressed a similar view at the opening of the annual session of the Council of Oman in Salalah October 4th last year: “The Sultanate is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its progress, during the course of which its achievements in many fields are plain for all to see and have changed the face of life in Oman, enabling it to assume a position of eminence at both regional and international levels.” In the coming years, the Sultanate continues to tread the same clearly-defined path as it has been all these years to harness its human potential and exploit its natural resources for the greater benefit of its people.

The modern Sultanate envisioned by Qaboos is based on the country’s ability to mobilise all the energies of its people and resources to achieve national unity and development in all fields.

Since the dawn of the Renaissance, the Sultan insisted on the participation of Omani citizens in the development process. The Sultanate emphasises on equality and rule of law to guarantee the rights of its people.

It may be noted that Omani laws provide an opportunity for reconciliation committees to enhance the relationships between the members of the society.

The Sultanate has joined various international conventions to protect human rights and to fight discrimination and human trafficking. A national committee for human rights under the State Council was also formed.

Sultan Qaboos has implemented various initiatives to support women and Omani Women’s Forum, launched in the Wilayat of Sohar in October 2009, and has helped the women in the Sultanate to achieve great progress in various spheres.

More than forty years of peace and stability, underpinned by the Sultanate’s sound policies, have fostered all-round growth and development in the country. The resilience of Oman’s economy and the soundness of its policies were put to test when in the face of global economic meltdown of 2008 and 2009, the country fared well on all fronts.

Oman has put in place a world-class infrastructure in terms of roads, flyovers, hospitals, schools, universities, ports, airports, industrial estates, transport and communication and continues its march towards all-round development.

Similarly, in the fields of heritage, culture and environmental protection, the Sultanate has been moving forward in flying colours in spite of many challenges of the modern age. In one of the interviews, Sultan Qaboos said, "Countries without spiritual values are empty nations and there is nothing more important than the spiritual side in building nations".

Indeed, one of Arab Gulf region’s great and exciting stories in the past 40 years has been Oman’s transformation from a simple country with limited infrastructure to a thriving nation with a strong economy.

The special emphasis during the past 40 years has primarily been on developing the country’s human resources, economic diversification by promoting non-oil sectors, import-substitution, export-promotion, women’s education, combining modernisation with Oman’s beautiful heritage and culture while retaining its basic Islamic and Arab values and good relations with all nations.

In a recent Royal speech, the Sultan declared that “Oman has been able to realise much of what we had aspired towards. All this has been achieved within a precise balance between preserving the best elements of our heritage, in which we take pride, and the demands of the present day which require us to adapt to the spirit of the modern age.”

The Sultan channelled the country’s human and material resources towards a single goal: development of the Omani people. The achievements made in various spheres are all aimed at realising one noble goal: the building of the modern Omani who believes in Allah and is committed to maintaining his own identity, while keeping abreast of the technology, sciences, literature and arts of the age in which he lives, and reaping the benefits of modern civilisation in building his country and developing his society.

In short, this is the Sultan’s measured approach to development. This approach has helped him transform the country from what it was to a modern and vibrant nation.

The Omani Business executive, quoted earlier, who politely refused to be named, summed it all up, carefully and confidently: “The people of the Sultanate and its well-wishers have a great deal to cherish about their young nation: enduring political stability and social harmony, a sustained trend towards economic growth, and among other things, an enviable international reputation as a peace-loving model state.

With this background, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that the Sultanate is all set to enter the fifth decade of all-round development with optimism and confidence, looking to the future with hope and high aspirations

Promoting peace has been the cornerstone of Oman's foreign policy since Renaissance started in 1970 and that is why the Sultanate has excellent bilateral, trade and economic relations with all countries of the world. Sultan Qaboos determination and resolve to see his people at par with all the modern nations of this world has finally borne fruits as Oman is currently basking in the glory of peace, progress and prosperity.

In more than four decades, the Sultanate has never veered from its middle path or tipped its balance in dealing with other countries. That itself is a testimony to the pragmatic and sagacious policies Oman has chosen to follow. The country's external ties are often referred to by the Sultan in his speeches to remind the people of the importance and relevance of international relations to the country in a world that is increasingly coming closer, technologically and economically.

The Sultanate is one of the six member countries of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council. It has historical, traditional and cultural ties with the other five GCC members - the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The GCC States are bound by common interests such as commerce, defence, stability, unity, security and prosperity. Every year, the six leaders meet in one of the Gulf States' capitals to discuss and chalk out plans aimed at benefiting the people of their countries. The thrust of their summit talks is common interest, prosperity, security and stability of the Gulf States.

The Sultanate extends its friendly hand whoever seeks it. Otherwise it would not have been possible to have diplomatic ties with almost all countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Americas. The cornerstone of its international diplomatic efforts is the belief that it is essential to maintain dialogue with other countries and contacts with other people to understand each other and to enhance co-operation in all possible fields for mutual benefit.

This belief stems from the Sultanate's conviction that the purpose of policy should always be to serve humanity, regardless of cultural, ethnic or religious differences. Besides establishing cordial relations with a number of countries, the Sultanate has also joined innumerable global and regional organisations that promote cooperation, culture, tourism, trade and commerce, education and social services, etc.

Oman’s policies are resilient enough to readjust to the changing geo-political global situations and the country lays a great deal of emphasis on international cooperation as it believes through cooperation alone the world could grow and march towards a peaceful era.

Oman will continue to carry on that noble mission in the years to come.

Source: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=47114