São Paulo – The new sultan of Oman, Haitam Bin Tariq Bin Taimur Al Said, has received the visit of several regional and world leaders since he ascended to the throne last Saturday (11) in Muscat following the death of his cousin and predecessor Qaboos Bin Said Bin Taimur Al Said, on Friday, at the age of 79. Haitan was nominated as the successor by the country’s royal family council, since Qaboos left no direct descendants.
Oman News Agency (ONA) – the sultanate’s official news agency – reported last Sunday (12) and this Monday (13) that the new monarch received condolence visits by the king of Saudi Arabia, Salman Bin Abdulaziz; prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and emir of Dubai, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum; crown prince and de facto ruler of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan; prime minister of Algeria, Abdelaziz Djerad; emir of Kuwait, Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al-Sabah; king of Bahrain, Hamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa; president of Tunisia, Kais Saied; emir of Qatar, Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani; president of Djibouti, Omar Guelleh; vice president of Turkey, Fuat Oktay; minister of Foreign Relations of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif.
From the United Kingdom, the sultan received prime minister Boris Johnson (pictured above) and prince Charles. The king of Netherlands, Willem Alexander, was also in Muscat, as well as other high-level authorities, mainly from the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.
The large number of leaders visiting Oman over the last few days reflects the diplomatic importance that the country achieved under the rule of Qaboos, who mediated several conflicts in the region. In a press release published by ONA this Monday, UN secretary-general António Guterres pays tribute to the late sultan’s “enduring contributions in the field of regional and international diplomacy.” Guterrez was also quoted as saying that Qaboos “led the sultanate for 50 years and spearheaded the transformation of Oman into a prosperous and stable country.”
Born in 1940 in the province of Dhofar as a member of the family that rules Oman since the 18th century, Qaboos moved to England in 1958 to complete his studies, having attended the Royal Military Academy and served the British Army in the West Germany. In 1965, he came back to Oman, and ascended to the throne in 1970.
Since then, a period that is called “rebirth” in Oman, the monarch led its transformation from a impoverish, isolated country into a thriving nation that keeps good relations with international leaderships of several political opinions.
Brazil
Imaraty released a note lamenting the death of Qaboos, stressing that he was the oldest chief of state in the Middle East. “Sultan Qaboos furthered modernization and development policies in Oman. His government was responsible for a significant improvement of the people’s standard of life, the promulgation of Oman’s [first] constitution and the country’s stability,” stressed Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Relations. “Globally, sultan Qaboos stood out as a skilled conflict mediator and an example of tolerance, respect and commitment to his people,” it added. The Brazilian government also wished new sultan Haitam its “best wishes for a successful performance in his new role.” Brazil established diplomatic relations with Oman in 1974.
Qaboos’ cause of death was not disclosed, but he had been suffering from health issues for years and had just returned to Oman last December after a period of treatment in Belgium.
In his inauguration speech, Haitam promised to carry forward his predecessor’s legacy “to preserve the gains that he made and to build upon them.” As for foreign policy, the new monarch assured he’ll also follow the previous sultan’s steps, maintaining a foreign policy based on pacific coexistence with other countries, good neighborliness., non-interference in other nation’s domestic issues, respect to others’ sovereignty, and international cooperation in different areas.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
