MUSCAT : It is a day woven deep into the heart of every Omani, a day when pride, unity, and national spirit rise in unison as the nation reflects on its journey and looks forward with renewed purpose.

Under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the people of Oman continue to advance confidently toward a future defined by knowledge, innovation, and sustainable development. The profound bond between the Sultan and his people remains one of the most powerful drivers of the nation’s renewed renaissance. United by shared values and a heritage rooted in tolerance, Omanis have long proven themselves a cohesive force, standing together through every era of change.

Education: Building Minds, Shaping the Future

The supreme commitment to developing education, higher education, scientific research, and innovation has been manifested in significant accomplishments aligned with ‘Oman Vision 2040’ priorities. 

During his visit to Sultan Faisal bin Turki School for Boys in the Wilayat of Al Amerat, His Majesty the Sultan stressed the importance of equipping students with technological literacy and future-ready skills. Today, Oman’s education system includes 66,379 teachers across 1,303 schools, with thousands more administrators, technicians, and specialists. New school buildings (16 in total this year) were inaugurated across the governorates, built to the highest safety and quality standards.

Higher education continues to rise on the global stage, as evidenced by the 2026 rankings from the British institution Quacquarelli Symonds. The QS World University Rankings 2026 features five Omani higher education institutions, with Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) achieving remarkable progress by advancing 28 positions to secure 334th place globally.

Innovation and Scientific Research 

Oman’s drive toward a knowledge-based society is reflected in its steady climb in the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Global Innovation Index – moving 10 places in four years and improving innovation outputs by 23 positions.

Under the academic sector’s ‘Performance-Based Institutional Funding Program’, support has been extended to approximately 2,228 research projects between 2018 and 2024. The past year alone witnessed the funding of 475 research initiatives with a total allocation of approximately RO 2.4 million. The Strategic Research Program, designed to address specific challenges within government entities, has supported 74 research projects. Meanwhile, the industrial sector’s ‘EJAAD’ Program has facilitated 61 research projects with a total investment of RO 2.5 million. In addition, Oman has established a comprehensive of 13 national innovation and capacity-building programs supporting students, researchers, and startups

Omani innovators now stand proudly on global platforms, bringing home recognition and contributing to the nation’s scientific reputation.

Social Protection 

Oman’s social protection system has undergone one of the most comprehensive transformations in its history. The new Social Protection Law expanded benefits across all stages of life – from childhood to old age – and introduced modern retirement, disability, maternity, and income-support programs.

Today, more than 63.6 percent of eligible citizens benefit from the system. The restructuring of pension funds has reached over 90 percent completion, and the Social Protection Fund now serves as a model of transparency in the region. 

Statistics released by the Fund at the end of September 2025 indicate the participation of 92 active entities from the public sector and 29,370 from the private sector. The number of insured Omani workers surpassed 604,000 citizens, with over 121,000 active pensions disbursed.  

In the disability sector, His Majesty’s directives established a new ministry-level sector and introduced a pioneering Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A dedicated autism care centre – funded with RO 7 million – is now underway, alongside expanded rehabilitation programmes and childcare centres. 

Healthcare Sector  

Oman’s health sector continues its transformation toward a world-class, integrated system. Ranked 55th globally and 6th in MENA in the Legatum Prosperity Index, Oman has expanded infrastructure with 10 new health institutions, accompanied by the expansion and enhancement of facilities for 7 hospitals and 21 additional health institutions.

Innovations in medical care include the successful implantation of an artificial heart, the resumption of corneal transplants, and the establishment of an eye bank that will enable national self-sufficiency within five years.

Accreditation achievements – from Khoula Hospital’s ‘Baby-Friendly’ designation to the Royal Hospital’s platinum certification – further elevate the sector’s global standing. Childhood vaccination rates remain above 99 percent, among the highest in the world.

Environment and Sustainability 

In 2025, Oman ranked first among Arab countries and 22nd globally in the Global Pollution Index. The country’s environmental stewardship earned international recognition with the Ramsar accreditation of Al Wusta’s wetlands and UNESCO designation of the Al Jabal Al Akhdar Scenic Nature Reserve and the Al Saleel Natural Park Reserve.

With 56 air-quality stations, comprehensive marine conservation efforts along a 3,165 km coastline, and strategic water resource management – including 82 recharge dams, 117 storage dams, 7 flood-protection dams, and more than 4,000 aflaj – Oman continues safeguarding natural resources for future generations.

Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources 

Investments in agriculture have reached RO 1.853 billion OMR, supporting more than 449 active projects.
The fisheries sector, powered by advanced aquaculture and marine industries, recorded 901,000 tons of production in 2024, marking a growth rate of 13.5 percent. The value of fisheries production increased to RO 580 million, concurrent with the expansion of aquaculture projects whose cumulative investments surpassed one billion rials in 2025.

Youth: Pulse of the Renewed Renaissance

Oman’s youth are shaping the country’s present and future. His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, affirmed that young Omanis carry the nation’s banner across science, arts, technology, diplomacy, and volunteerism.

National initiatives such as Youth Ambassadors, the Ready Camp, the Youth Excellence Award, the Tawasul Film Award, and the National Debating Championship are empowering young people to lead, innovate, and express their ambitions.

Media: Documenting Progress

Oman’s media landscape continues to expand, producing more than 50,000 news and media items and 7,000 broadcast bulletins in 2024. Digital engagement surged, with 14.1 million views on the Ayn platform and 12 million visits to the media portal. 

The collective following of the Ministry of Information’s social media accounts reached 6,482,680 by the end of 2024; cumulative visits to the electronic portals of newspapers and magazines issued by the Ministry amounted to 39,950,381.

Television and radio broadcasts exceeded 35,000 hours, while international media published nearly 5,000 pieces on Oman.

Economy and Investment 

Economic indicators in 2025 reaffirmed Oman’s progress:

• Public debt reduced to Ro 14.1 billion  
• Non-oil exports grew 11.3 percent
• FDI reached RO 30.28 billion 
• GDP at current prices reached RO 10.17 billion in Q2 2025

Special economic zones and free zones continue attracting investment, doubling total investments in five years to RO 22 billion. Sohar Free Zone alone added RO 711.4 million.

The Oman Investment Authority surpassed RO 20 billion in assets and ranked 8th globally in five-year returns among sovereign wealth funds.

Inflation remained among the lowest globally at 0.8 percent, and GDP growth is projected to reach 2.9 percent in 2025 and 3.7 percent in 2026.

Foreign Policy 

Oman continues to uphold its enduring principles of diplomacy – dialogue, neutrality, mutual respect, and peaceful resolution of conflicts.

His Majesty’s visits to Turkey, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Belarus, Algeria, and Spain strengthened bilateral relations, while Oman hosted delegations from the GCC, Iran, Iraq, and beyond.

As a mediator, Oman facilitated five rounds of talks on the Iranian nuclear file and a truce agreement between the United States and Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, ensuring maritime safety in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. 

Oman’s principled stance was equally clear on regional crises—from condemning violations in Gaza and Qatar to urging international action in Syria and Iran.

A Nation United, A Future in Motion

As Oman prepares to celebrate its National Day, the country stands at a remarkable intersection of history and aspiration. Guided by wise leadership and strengthened by its people’s unity, Oman continues its journey – measured, confident, and resolutely forward.

From classrooms filled with the innovators of tomorrow to hospitals built to world standards; from flourishing investment zones to diplomatic corridors shaping regional peace, Oman’s renewed renaissance is unfolding with purpose and pride.

And on National Day, the Sultanate celebrates not only its past, but the promising horizon it continues to build.