MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik issued 10 Royal Decrees on Thursday covering legislation, diplomatic appointments, international agreements and a public infrastructure project, according to the Oman News Agency.

The first Royal Decree promulgates a new Law on Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

The second decree amends certain provisions of Oman’s Personal Data Protection Law, while the third amends provisions of the Mineral Wealth Law.

The fourth decree provides for the implementation of the GCC Unified Law governing the management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

Diplomatic transfers and appointments
The fifth Royal Decree introduces a series of transfers and appointments across Oman’s diplomatic corps.

Sheikh Abbas bin Ibrahim bin Hamad Al Harthy, Oman’s Ambassador to Malaysia; Yousuf bin Ahmed bin Hamad Al Jabri, Ambassador to Austria; and Dr Mohammed bin Said bin Khalifa Al Busaidi, Ambassador to Japan, will be transferred to the Foreign Ministry’s headquarters.

The decree also transfers Dr Saleh bin Amer bin Harith Al Kharousi, Oman’s Ambassador to Kuwait, and Sayyid Turki bin Mahmoud bin Ali Al Busaidi, Ambassador to Syria.

Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Saleh Al Bahrani, Oman’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan, will be transferred and appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Iraq.

Sheikh Nasser bin Sulaiman bin Hamad Al Harthy has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belarus, while Faisal bin Omar bin Said Al Marhoon has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Syria.

The decree also grants ambassadorial rank to several ministers plenipotentiary and appoints them to diplomatic missions.

Ali bin Ahmed bin Salem Al Shanfari has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Kuwait, Anwar bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Muqbil to China, and Yaqoub bin Badr bin Ali Al Ruqaishi to Sudan.

Salem bin Habib bin Salam Al Omairi has been appointed Ambassador to Somalia, Salem bin Saud bin Salem Al Habsi to Austria, and Rashid bin Ali bin Humaid Al Badi to Senegal.

Non-resident ambassadorial appointments

Under the sixth Royal Decree, Talal bin Sulaiman bin Habib Al Rahbi, Oman’s Ambassador to the United States, has been appointed as the Sultanate’s non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mexico, Canada, Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

The seventh decree appoints Abdullah bin Nasser bin Muslim Al Rahbi, Oman’s Ambassador to Egypt, as non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Angola.

Under the eighth decree, Khalid bin Salem bin Ahmed Bamkhalif, Oman’s Ambassador to Morocco, has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Benin and Sierra Leone.

Oman-UAE railway agreement ratified

The ninth Royal Decree ratifies an agreement between the governments of Oman and the United Arab Emirates for the development of a railway connection between the two countries.

The agreement marks another step in efforts to strengthen cross-border transport and connectivity between the two neighbouring Gulf states.

The 10th Royal Decree declares public-benefit status for a project to establish a rainwater drainage system for areas surrounding Al Baraka Palace.