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Omanis Elect Municipal Councils

Omanis elected their municipal representatives via the Intakhib phone application (ONA)
Omanis elected their municipal representatives via the Intakhib phone application (ONA)
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Omanis Elect Municipal Councils

Omanis elected their municipal representatives via the Intakhib phone application (ONA)
Omanis elected their municipal representatives via the Intakhib phone application (ONA)

Omanis accessed their smartphones to elect members of the municipal councils for the third term.

Just before polls closed, turnout was just over 40 percent, as 288,460 of the 731,767 eligible voters chose 126 representatives from the 696 candidates.

The Minister of Interior, Hammoud Faisal al-Busaidi, met the committee for the elections of municipal representatives and was briefed on the progress of the electoral process.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior and Chairman of the Main Committee for Third Term Municipal Councils' Elections, Khalid Hilal al-Busaidi, announced the winners of the elections on Sunday evening.

Busaidi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the municipal council elections' voting process was smooth and easy, without any significant issues.

He indicated that the authorities wanted to ensure the process was done via the latest voting technologies, and the best technical solutions would be adopted for sorting, counting, and announcing results.

The municipal elections grant citizens greater powers in development and partnership in decision-making.

Omani women recorded a narrow victory in these elections.

The Interior Ministry had previously developed electronic methods to facilitate the ballot count, allowing for a quick announcement of results. People voted in person, and the votes were counted electronically.

Despite the use of mobile phones, voter turnout was similar to the municipal council elections in 2016, which stood at 39.80 percent.

The "Intakhib" application was designed according to security standards, with full confidentiality within the election process. It aims to make casting votes an easy and convenient operation.

The process requires a smartphone equipped with the NFC feature, a connection to the Internet, and a valid personal card. The voter must also be registered in the electoral register.

The Oman Human Rights Commission praised the election process, noting that e-vote allowed all citizens to exercise their rights.

The municipal council extends for four years and consists of a chairman and members appointed by their job descriptions and elected members representing the states affiliated to the governorate, with two members from each state.

According to Article 21 of the municipal law, the city councils are concerned with reviewing draft development plans within the scope of the governorate, development projects, services, urban programs, and the governorate's public utilities and services.

It is also concerned with making recommendations related to public health, proposing regulations for health requirements for activities related to public health, and participating with the competent authorities in determining development projects and structural and public urban plans.

The councils also decide on unique plans in residential, commercial, industrial, and tourist areas and organize cultural, entertainment, and tourism events.

It is also concerned with approving programs to help eligible groups, caring for orphans and people with disabilities in coordination with the concerned authorities, and proposing programs to help those affected by natural disasters and climatic conditions.

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Gulf

SDRPY Hosts Yemen Partners Group with UN and International Participation

Officials are seen at the SDRPY-hosted meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the SDRPY-hosted meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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SDRPY Hosts Yemen Partners Group with UN and International Participation

Officials are seen at the SDRPY-hosted meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the SDRPY-hosted meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen (SDRPY) hosted in Riyadh on Wednesday a meeting of the Yemen Partners Group (YPG), co-chaired by the Yemeni government, United Kingdom, and World Bank, with the participation of the United Nations and international organizations.

Yemeni Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Shaya Mohsin Zindani; UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg; UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen Julien Harneis and Saudi Ambassador to Yemen and SDRPY Supervisor General Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber, as well as a number of ambassadors, representatives of international organizations, and donor entities attended the meeting.

Zindani expressed confidence in the new government and its clearly defined priorities that it will work to implement, which will help achieve stability and economic recovery.

He stressed the government’s aim to maximize benefit from the vital projects and initiatives provided by Saudi Arabia through the SDRPY, which offers important support for basic sectors and for boosting development efforts across Yemen.

Zindani expressed his appreciation to Saudi Arabia for its continued support to Yemen, commending the level of cooperation with the SDRPY and its efforts in supporting and empowering national institutions.

For his part, Grundberg emphasized the importance of the development projects provided by the Kingdom, particularly at this stage, noting positive indicators in Yemen, especially improvements in energy-sector stability.

Governor of the Central Bank Ahmed Ghaleb reviewed the bank’s priorities, stressing its commitment to transparency, the need to combat inflation, and the importance of international coordination and support to address challenges.

Al Jaber underscored the importance of continuing joint efforts to overcome obstacles facing peace and development in Yemen under the leadership of the Yemeni government.

The meeting is an important opportunity to learn about the priorities of the government and Central Bank, strengthening coordination to ensure that development and financial support is directed efficiently and effectively, and to assist donor entities and international organizations in aligning their interventions with the government’s priorities, he added.

The meeting reviewed a package of Saudi development projects worth SAR1.9 billion provided to Yemen in January, which helped boost energy-sector stability through the fuel derivatives grant, ensuring the continued operation of hospitals and vital service facilities.

It reviewed other development projects and initiatives scheduled for delivery during the coming period.

Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister Receives Letter on Bilateral Ties from Russian Counterpart

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji and Russian Ambassador to the Kingdom Sergey Kozlov meet in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji and Russian Ambassador to the Kingdom Sergey Kozlov meet in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Receives Letter on Bilateral Ties from Russian Counterpart

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji and Russian Ambassador to the Kingdom Sergey Kozlov meet in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji and Russian Ambassador to the Kingdom Sergey Kozlov meet in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received on Wednesday a letter from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on bilateral relations and ways to support and boost them across various fields.

The message was received on behalf of the Foreign Minister by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji during a meeting in Riyadh with Russian Ambassador to the Kingdom Sergey Kozlov.

They reviewed bilateral relations and discussed issues of mutual interest.

Gulf

NAUDI Chairman to Asharq Al-Awsat: Ukraine Aims to Resume, Expand Defense Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Chairman of the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI) Serhii Pashynskyi. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Chairman of the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI) Serhii Pashynskyi. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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NAUDI Chairman to Asharq Al-Awsat: Ukraine Aims to Resume, Expand Defense Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Chairman of the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI) Serhii Pashynskyi. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Chairman of the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI) Serhii Pashynskyi. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Chairman of the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI) Serhii Pashynskyi revealed that Kyiv was counting on Saudi Arabia to achieve peace and stability in Ukraine given its role as a “significant and authoritative regional leader”.

In an interview to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said: “We aim in the near future to define concrete plans for the renewal and further expansion of Ukrainian-Saudi defense cooperation.”

He made his remarks as NAUDI took part in the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh.

“We are open to considering opportunities for establishing joint ventures, developing specific technologies, and localizing production on the territory of Saudi Arabia. We are ready to deepen cooperation that has been actively developing since 2014,” Pashynskyi said.

“Our participation in World Defense Show 2026 has a clear objective: to demonstrate the technological capability of Ukraine’s defense sector, which has undergone real testing in wartime conditions. At the joint NAUDI stand, we present our latest developments with confirmed combat experience, share practical insights into their operational use, and discuss tactics of employment,” he explained.

“Today, member companies of the Association already maintain dozens of international contracts in the format of industrial cooperation, and the geography of our partnerships continues to expand. This is precisely the message we seek to convey to our international and regional partners,” he stated.

Saudi-Ukrainian military cooperation

Commenting on military cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Ukraine, he said: “Prior to the full-scale invasion, there was active and effective cooperation between Ukraine’s defense-industrial complex and the Kingdom’s defense institutions and companies.”

“We are interested in restoring these contacts. In line with the position of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, regarding controlled exports, we aim in the near future to define concrete plans for the renewal and further expansion of Ukrainian-Saudi defense cooperation,” he went on to say.

Moreover, Pashynskyi revealed that an official intergovernmental agreement between the Ukrainian and Saudi governments on cooperation in the field of defense was signed in Kyiv on February 5, 2020, and duly approved by the respective governments.

“The agreement establishes a comprehensive legal framework for bilateral defense interaction. It covers cooperation between the defense industries of both countries, military education and personnel training, exchange of information in the field of defense technologies, transfer of specific military technologies and equipment, including electronic, radar, and telecommunications systems, as well as issues related to defense medical support,” he explained.

“Ukraine highly values the principled and consistent position of Saudi Arabia, which is based on unwavering respect for the provisions of the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of international law, particularly with regard to ensuring territorial integrity and protecting state sovereignty,” he added.

“An important moral and humanitarian component of Ukrainian-Saudi relations is the Kingdom’s sincere solidarity with the Ukrainian people, which is reflected in the humanitarian assistance provided, particularly to support internally displaced persons,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Ukrainian products at the World Defense Show

Elaborating on the Ukrainian products displayed at the World Defense Show, Pashynskyi said: “NAUDI member companies produce a full spectrum of defense products, from 7-inch FPV drones to the Bohdana self-propelled artillery system, which is physically displayed at the exhibition.”

“Ukraine has become a global pioneer in the mass combat use of FPV drones, as well as in the development and deployment of maritime unmanned platforms. We possess unique and extremely valuable experience in operating these systems under real combat conditions,” he stressed. “The private sector accounts for more than 70% of Ukraine’s total defense-industrial production.”

Among the key exhibits are the Bohdana self-propelled howitzer, manufactured in significant quantities by the company Ukrainian Armor and actively employed in combat operations; the Varta armored vehicle; the Protector unmanned ground system; the MAC maritime drone; reconnaissance UAVs Shark, PD-2, mini Shark, and Furia; the Krechet air defense command-and-control system; heavy drones Kazhan and Shmavik; UAV munitions produced by UBM; FPV drones manufactured by General Cherry; and electronic warfare systems developed by Piranya Tech.

Preserving lives

Pashynskyi revealed that more than 50% of the needs of Ukraine’s Defense Forces are currently met by the domestic defense-industrial complex, from FPV drones to cruise missiles, 155-mm artillery systems, ammunition, electronic warfare (EW) and electronic intelligence (ELINT) systems.

“According to last year’s results, NAUDI member companies supplied the Defense Forces with products worth approximately EUR 4 billion,” he said. “Since 2022, the industry has undergone large-scale relocation and deployment of new production facilities. Today, Ukraine is without exaggeration one of the world’s leaders in the pace of weapons and ammunition production.”

“Our primary priority is preserving the lives of service members. That is why special emphasis is placed on unmanned systems that enhance soldier effectiveness without replacing the soldier,” he continued.

“A key advantage is the direct connection with frontline units. This allows manufacturers to receive real-time feedback and rapidly modernize their solutions. While R&D processes in other countries may take years, for Ukrainian companies the path from concept to serial production often takes just 3 to 6 months.”

“Some companies have increased FPV drone production from several thousand units in 2023 to over 500,000 units in 2025 and these are not isolated cases,” Pashynskyi revealed.