Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed is received by Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, right, upon arriving in Muscat for an official visit in 2014. Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court — Abu Dhabi
Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said is seen while welcoming Britain's Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at Bait Al Noor church in Muscat, Oman, in 2016. AP Photo
Oman's new sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said swears in at the Royal Family Council in Muscat, Oman. Oman TV via AP
Oman's new sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said makes his first speech in front of the Royal Family Council in Muscat, Oman. Oman TV via AP
Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, right, stands for a photograph with Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said during the opening ceremony of the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2017. Photo by Abdullah Al Junaibi
Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq al Said offers condolences to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Ain Region, on the passing of Sheikha Hessa bint Mohamed Al Nahyan, at Mushrif Palace in 2018. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, right, and Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq al Said attend the final day of Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Shams Tower in 2016. Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi
Saudi Arabia's King Salman Bin Abdulaziz meets Haitham bin Tariq Al Said to receive condolences after one of his brothers, Saudi Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, passed away, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2016. Getty Images
Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, center right, is seen next to Britain's Prince Charles while welcoming him and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at Bait Al Noor church in Muscat. AP Photo
Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said receives Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, upon arrival in Muscat, Oman in 2019. EPA
Britain's Prince Harry is being welcomed by Sayyid Haitham Bin Tariq Al Said upon his arrival in Oman in 2014. AFP
Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said looks on during the Closing Ceremony at Al-Musannah Sports City on day nine of the 2nd Asian Beach Games Muscat 2010 in Muscat, Oman. Getty Images
As we marked Oman’s 50th National Day on November 18, I found myself reminiscing over our various milestones. Our country has witnessed a remarkable journey in terms of socioeconomic development and we are proud of the mark we have made in the realm of foreign policy and promoting peace among our allies.
We are eternally grateful to Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said whose stewardship elevated the country from a relatively unknown name to an exemplary model in myriad fields in the global arena.
Much like his predecessor, our new leader, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, inspires us to remain committed to our common goal of national prosperity.
Omani Minister of Sport Sayyid Dhi Yazan bin Haitham (2nd-L) presents the trophy to Dhofar players after they won a football match, the Sultan Qaboos Cup final, in the Omani capital Muscat on November 29. AFP
Oman’s annual gross domestic product has witnessed a growth trajectory over the past several decades. However, according to the World Bank, it is projected to fall this year owing to declining oil prices and the effects of Covid-19.
Given these indicators, as well as the lifestyle changes implemented to tackle the situation that resulted from the outbreak, it is natural to be cautious as we advance in to the post-pandemic world.
We cannot discount the psychological impact of students being forced to stay home from school and employees across fields shifting to a work-from-home model and reinventing themselves through reskilling and upskilling.
On a national level, especially in a culture like ours that has always valued community relations, it is particularly worrying that citizens have had to live in relative isolation for the better part of the year.
I have always stressed the importance of empowering our youth and boosting their morale in order to maintain unity and nationwide commitment to the vision of our beloved leaders.
Thankfully, now that pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna have indicated that their Covid-19 vaccines will be available early next year, we may finally move towards a semblance of normality in the coming months. Yet, we must use our resources to keep up the community spirit until it is safe to resume life without social distancing.
Our finance ministry recently announced plans to bring down the national deficit to 1.7 per cent of Oman’s GDP by 2024 from a preliminary deficit of 15.8 per cent in 2020.
Its plan entails the introduction of income tax on individuals in the high income bracket in 2022 and targets an increase in non-oil revenues to 35 per cent of the total government revenue by 2024 – up from 28 per cent this year.
The Institute of International Finance commended our government’s efforts in a recent report. Oman’s 2020-2024 plan in response to the economic crisis was praised, as was the restructuring and merging of specific ministries and the implementation of budget cuts for more efficient use of public funds.
On a societal level, I believe the key to bringing our nation back on track lies in our traditions that made Oman a success story – community relations and entrepreneurship, with a focus on youth that drive our future.
I envision us reverting to our old ways as soon as it is safe to move freely without the risk of contagion. However, we must use our experience of the pandemic and channel it into creative approaches to revitalise business in the country.
Al Maghseel beach in Salalah, Dhofar province, Oman. Reuters
Small and medium-sized enterprises play a pivotal role in the country’s economic development, through creating job opportunities, responding to market demands in offering a variety of goods and services and boosting the national GDP.
In this context, we must pay special attention to the SME sector in order to support our government’s goal to reinforce non-oil revenues in the coming years.
Organisations with a successful track record of ensuring robust business performance can roll out mentorship programmes led by seasoned entrepreneurs and leaders to mentor our youth – particularly aspiring and creative minds – about business in the real world.
In doing so, they enable the youth to learn how to set up and grow a company, manage their teams to achieve optimum results and turn their ideas into profit-generating products and services.
One of the most important aspects of such mentorship programmes is the emphasis on collaboration, encouraging people to connect and bring their skills and ideas together.
School and university students can be introduced to entrepreneurship workshops at academic institutions – both their own and others in the community.
Engaging with future leaders in the early stages of their education will give them confidence and motivate them to come up with ideas that could contribute to translating Oman’s long-term vision into reality.
A concerted effort to collaborate, empower our youth and strengthen our economy will help bring our nation together.
We have faced a series of unprecedented challenges this year, but marking our 50th anniversary as a nation was a much needed reminder of our accomplishments and strengths.
I am confident that with careful planning and dedication, we will be able to rally together to build a brighter and more secure future for our country.
Mohammed Alardhi is executive chairman of Investcorp and chairman of Bank Sohar, and was the longest-serving Omani head of the Royal Air Force of Oman
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
UK’s AI plan
AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
£10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
£100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
£250m to train new AI models
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
GroupA: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Baftas 2020 winners
BEST FILM
1917 - Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Sam Mendes, Jayne-Ann Tenggren
THE IRISHMAN - Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Martin Scorsese, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
JOKER - Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino
PARASITE - Bong Joon-ho, Kwak Sin-ae
DIRECTOR
1917 - Sam Mendes
THE IRISHMAN - Martin Scorsese
JOKER - Todd Phillips
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Quentin Tarantino
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
