Diplomatic shake-up sees Oman’s ambassadors holding multiple positions

Oman's ambassador to Japan will become the non-resident ambassador to Australia alongside his current role

Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq has made new ambassadorial appointments. AFP

Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik issued nine royal decrees on Thursday to reduce the number of senior diplomats in a move seen by analysts as another effort to cut down costs.

Six of the nine ambassadors appointed in the decree will take on extra responsibilities as non-resident ambassadors to other countries or representatives to foreign-based organisations, the Oman News Agency reported.

Dr Muhammad bin Said Al Busaidi, the current ambassador to Japan, will also be the non-resident ambassador to Australia. Ali bin Abdallah Al Mahrooki who is currently ambassador to Tanzania will also be the non-resident ambassador to the Seychelles. Ambassador to Kenya, Saleh bin Sulaiman Al Harthi, adds Eritrea to his portfolio and Mubarak bin Salem Al Zakwani, ambassador to South Africa adds Madagascar.

Non-resident ambassadors are not uncommon and usually visit the countries they are assigned a few times a year. Both previous ambassadors to Australia and Seychelles have been retired.

Analysts said the decision to give dual accreditation to the men may have been made to save on civil service costs as the country battles with a downturn from low oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic.

“Diplomats are part of the civil service and keeping check on their sizeable expenditure is very important,” said economist Salah Al Jardani from the Modern College of Business and Science in Muscat.

“We don’t sell our oil above $100 per barrel anymore so financial prudence is imperative when the country needs to make savings. Then we have the pandemic in our midst and that makes it even tougher.”

Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, who took over the reins of power in January this year after the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who ruled the country for 50 years, has embarked on an economic drive to revamp and resize the government.

He started to mark his reign when he ordered a cabinet reshuffle only three months into his leadership. He trimmed the cabinet to 19 ministries from 26, retired all civil servants who had served for more than 30 years and removed the positions of state advisers to save government expenditure.

Saleh Al Siyabi is a promising name in the world of sales and marketing in real estate developments. This year Mr Alsiyabi was appointed as Vice President of Sales at Al Mouj Muscat - a prominent mixed-use waterfront development in Oman after climbing up the ranks from when he started in 2006 as part of al Mouj's sales team.

Ambassador Lyutha Al Mughairy is the Oman's Permanent Representative to the UN and was a career international civil servant for the UN from 1980 to 2006, serving in the political affairs, peacekeeping and information departments. In 2019, she was recognised by the Omani Ministry of Information as a media pioneer. She had a long career in media since 1975. She established and managed an English language service radio and television programme in Oman. United Nations

Hassan Abdulamir Shaaban is General Manager and Head of Government Banking and Alliances Group at the National Bank of Oman which he joined in 2004. Prior to that Mr Shaaban has worked in the diplomatic field as Oman's commercial attache in South Africa (1993 -1995) and in Taiwan (1995 -1997). Last month, Mr Shaaban participated in the NBO Youth Award initiative for a second year running, and signed a three-year partnership with not-for-profit foundation Outward Bound Oman, that will help 900 young people develop their skills in line with Oman Vision 2040.

Rumaitha Al Busaidi is known for being the first female football analyst in the Arab world; owing to her love of the game and for being part of Oman’s women's football team. She earned the title of the youngest Omani woman to step foot on the South Pole and plans to become the first Muslim woman to conquer the seven volcanic summits. Courtesy Rumaitha Al Busaidi

Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah served as as the Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs for 23 years, retiring in August 2020. His career in the diplomatic service started in 1970, serving Oman’s diplomatic missions in Cairo and Beirut, before being appointed as Oman’s Ambassador to Lebanon in 1973. Mr Alawi played a key role in maintaining Oman’s neutrality and as a regional mediator.

Dr Rawya Saud Al Busaidi is Oman's Minister of Higher Education since 2004. She was the first Omani woman to be appointed to a ministerial portfolio. Ms Al Busaidi is also the president of the Council of Sultan Qaboos University and is credited with making significant improvements in Oman's education sector. YouTube

Sultan bin Mohammed Al Nu'amani is the Minister of the Royal Office. As acting chairman of the Defence Council, he was entrusted to open Sultan Qaboos' will, containing the name of Haitham bin Tariq as the Sultan of Oman. YouTube

Ibtisam Al Salmi is one of the Middle East’s first professional female sailors and a member of Oman Sail's pioneering Women’s Sailing Programme. In February 2020, she and partner Marwa Al Kaifi made history by becoming the first all-female team to finish on the podium in 10 years of the EFG Sailing Arabia. Courtesy Oman Sailing

Mohammed Al Barwani, billionaire and chairman of MB Petroleum Services LLC, started his career in the oil industry in 1976, as a reservoir engineer for Petroleum Development Oman. He founded MB Holding in 1982 to provide oilfield services. MB expanded into oil and gas exploration and production, and then engineering services. Mr Al Barwani also runs Musstir, a real estate developer with stakes in several hotels in Oman. Bloomberg

Basma Al Said established the first mental health Clinic in Oman, called “Whispers of Serenity Clinic for Mental Health," as she continues to raise awareness about mental health. She is a psychotherapist and a hypnotherapist who won several awards which include: “Golden Recognition Award” by the Arab Women Council, the GR8! Women Achievers Awards, and an Honorary Doctorate for youth volunteer projects. Courtesy YouTube

Author Jokha Alharthi won the Booker International Prize for the book 'Celestial Bodies' in 2019. The novelist became the first Arabic language writer to win the prestigious literary prize. Her book is a surrealistic look at her homeland through the eyes of three sisters residing in the Al Awafi village on the sultanate. AFP

Qais Al Khonji is a Omani businessman and founder of Qais United Enterprises Trading and co-owner and chief executive of Genesis International, a medical education company based in Oman. Mr Khonji serves as a board member for many Omani companies and is known for assisting Omani citizens with their small start-ups. Courtesy theaniajames.com

Haifa bint Juma Al Khaifi is the CFO of Petroleum Development Oman, and Chairperson of the Board of State Street Saudi Arabia Financial Solutions, and has been named as one of the most influential women in the Middle East for five years by Forbes. Courtesy YouTube

Ali Al Habsi is professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Before retiring in August he represented Al Mudhaibi, Al Nasr, Lyn Oslo, Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic, Brighton and Hove Albion, Reading, Al Hilal and West Bromich Albion. He also played for the Omani national team in several Asian Cups and Arabian Gulf Cups. Mr Al Habsi has been associated with the Safety First, a not-for-profit road safety awareness organisation. PA Images

Fatma Al Nabhani is the region’s only professional female tennis player and has been playing since the age of nine, when she won the West Asian Championship in the under-13 category. During her professional career, she has won four singles and four doubles titles on the ITF tour. She was featured in a Nike video as a unique example and role model for women athletes in the Arab world. AFP

Ahmad Al Harthy is Oman's top racing driver, where he won the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain Pro-Am 1 Championship and in 2017 became the Blancpain Endurance Cup Pro-Am Champion along with British teammate Jonny Adam.

He is also going a step further by introducing Value Added Tax in the second quarter of 2021, as well as ordering income tax for higher earners to boost the national coffers, though no date has been set. If the income tax is implemented, Oman will be the first country in the GCC to do so.

Ahmed Al Esri, a political analyst from the University of Technology said the changes in the diplomatic corps ‘make a lot of sense’ in the current economic climate.

“Most ambassadors have the ceremonial roles as foreign agents to keep up political ties between countries and are never super busy not to do something else,” he said.

Other ambassadors were also appointed on Thursday. Ahmed bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Oman’s former ambassador to Saudi Arabia has been assigned to the UAE, with Sayyid Faisal bin Turki Al Said taking the Saudi Arabia portfolio and permanent representative to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.

Abdullah bin Nasser Al Rahbi was appointed as ambassador to Egypt and a permanent representative to the Arab League, and Hilal bin Marhoon Al Maamari to Jordan. Musa bin Hamdan Al Taie was named ambassador to the United States of America.

Mr Al Esri added the ambassadorial reshuffle may also reflect the wishes of the new Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, who took the position in August after the retirement of Yusuf bin Alawi.

“We have a new person in control of the diplomatic front and it could well be his way to streamline the foreign mission activities to reflect the current international political scenario, not just a problem of the falling oil prices,” Mr Esri added.

In a bid to revive the economy, the Sultanate eased Covid-19 restrictions on Tuesday, including the opening up of beaches, allowing conferences and exhibitions as well as issuing tourist visas.

The country reported on Thursday 184 new infection cases taking the total number of infected people to 124,329. The Ministry of Health also reported 5 deaths on Thursday bringing the total number of people who died from the pandemic to 1,435.