Sultan of Oman Appoints Members of State Council, including 18 Women

The State Council of Oman (Omani News Agency)
The State Council of Oman (Omani News Agency)
TT
20

Sultan of Oman Appoints Members of State Council, including 18 Women

The State Council of Oman (Omani News Agency)
The State Council of Oman (Omani News Agency)

The Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, issued on Wednesday a royal decree appointing members of the State Council, the second legislative chamber. The council consists of 86 members, including 18 women.

The Sultan also issued a decree appointing 14 members, including three women, to the Omani Human Rights Commission.

Sultan Haitham bin Tariq also invited the Shura Council to hold its first extraordinary session, on Thursday, Nov. 9, to elect a president and two vice-presidents for the tenth term (2023-2027).

Women lost two seats they held in the Shura Council, as no female candidate was able to win membership in the 90-member Council during the elections on Sunday.

843 candidates, including 32 women, competed in the elections, according to the final lists of candidates. The total number of voters who registered for the elections reached 753,690 voters, of whom 496,279 male and female voters actually participated, a rate of 65.88 percent.

The appointed State Council and the elected Shura Council form the two legislative chambers, and together they constitute the Council of Oman.

According to its founding law, the Council of State is a legislative institution with a legal personality that enjoys financial and administrative independence. The Council consists of a president and members, who are appointed by a decree issued by the Sultan of Oman.

The State Council is entrusted with approving or amending draft laws referred by the government, proposing draft laws and referring them to the government for review and discussing draft development plans and the state’s general budget, along with other tasks.



Saudi Arabia Welcomes Palestinian Leadership Reforms

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
TT
20

Saudi Arabia Welcomes Palestinian Leadership Reforms

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the reform measures taken by the Palestinian leadership, including the creation of the position of Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Vice President of the State of Palestine, and the appointment of Hussein Al-Sheikh to this position.

The ministry wished Al-Sheikh success in his new duties.

The Kingdom affirmed that these reform steps will enhance Palestinian political efforts and contribute to achieving the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the right to self-determination through the establishment of an independent state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.