Oman Holds Fully-Digitized Elections

Omani Ministers of Interior and Information at the opening of an exhibition to present the voting stages for members of the Shura Council in Oman (Al-Omaniya)
Omani Ministers of Interior and Information at the opening of an exhibition to present the voting stages for members of the Shura Council in Oman (Al-Omaniya)
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Oman Holds Fully-Digitized Elections

Omani Ministers of Interior and Information at the opening of an exhibition to present the voting stages for members of the Shura Council in Oman (Al-Omaniya)
Omani Ministers of Interior and Information at the opening of an exhibition to present the voting stages for members of the Shura Council in Oman (Al-Omaniya)

Omani voters cast their ballots on Sunday to elect the members of the Shura Council’s tenth term. Voting took place without papers or boxes, using an updated version of an electronic platform, which was inaugurated for the first time in 2019.

In addition to the voting process, the application was used to register voters, announce the lists, and complete the candidates’ applications.

The Oman Telecommunications Company confirmed that the protective systems are working with high efficiency and that no attempts at cyber-attacks have been recorded.

According to the final electoral lists, 843 candidates, including 32 women, competed in these elections to choose the 90 members of the Shura Council, while the total number of voters reached 753,690. Last Sunday, Omani nationals living abroad cast their votes electronically.

The Omani Shura Council, which was established in 1991 as a substitute for a consultative council established in 1981, is elected for a four-year term and has the powers to review, propose and amend the state’s public and economic policies.

The council, however, does not interfere in matters related to defense, internal security, and foreign policy. The elected council, together with the appointed State Council, forms the “Council of Oman”.



Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji reaffirmed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis. He expressed Saudi Arabia’s openness to international initiatives aimed at bringing peace to Sudan.
At the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan, held in Djibouti, Al-Khuraiji discussed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis.
He mentioned that Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the United States, facilitated talks between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, leading to the Jeddah Declaration on May 11, 2023, which aimed to protect civilians.
Al-Khuraiji also noted the continuation of talks with the involvement of the African Union and IGAD, emphasizing Saudi Arabia’s support for African-led solutions.
He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to restoring stability in Sudan and urged all parties to act with wisdom, show restraint, and support positive initiatives.
Al-Khuraiji also met with EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Annette Weber, on the sidelines of the consultative meeting.
In separate meetings, he also met with the UN Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, and US Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello.
During these meetings, they reviewed the latest developments in Sudan, explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, and discussed topics of mutual interest.
The Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum) expressed support for international and regional meetings, hoping they would bring positive results to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people.
They urged the need that discussions focus on ensuring humanitarian aid reaches those in need, protecting civilians, and achieving an immediate ceasefire.
Taqaddum highlighted the importance of international legal frameworks for civilian protection and safe passageways during the conflict.
They called on international and regional partners to quickly bring both sides back to negotiations, build on the Jeddah agreements, and secure a binding ceasefire with effective monitoring.
Taqaddum also stressed the need for a unified negotiation platform to achieve peace.