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)
TT

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 Reiterates Need to Reach Just Solution to Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Arabia Reiterates Need to Reach Just Solution to Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)

The Saudi government reiterated on Tuesday its welcoming of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) advisory opinion on Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories and the court’s confirmation of the illegality of the Israeli presence in the territories over the past 57 years.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah.

The government renewed the Kingdom’s position on the need for practical and credible steps to be taken to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict according to the 2002 Arab peace initiative and international resolutions.

The cabinet was briefed on the telephone talks held between Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, with French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

The calls focused on joint relations and ways to boost and develop them.

The cabinet reviewed the latest regional and international developments and Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to end the war on Gaza and support peace in Yemen to achieve regional security and stability.

It urged the international community, particularly active and influential parties, to assume its responsibilities and stop tensions in the region.

At the domestic level, the cabinet reviewed the latest economic developments and key indicators, including the stabilization of inflation in recent months due to the robustness of the Kingdom's economy and the effective measures and policies implemented to address the ramifications of rising global prices.