Oman stresses inclusive growth, welfare reforms at UN meet

Muscat – Underscoring a national approach that places people at the centre of development policies, Oman’s envoy to the United Nations reaffirmed the sultanate’s commitment to comprehensive and sustainable social development.

Speaking at the 64th session of the Commission for Social Development at the UN headquarters in New York, H E Omar bin Said al Kathiri, Permanent Representative of Oman to the UN, said the sultanate’s development path is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Vision 2040, with focus on social welfare, equal opportunities and protection of vulnerable groups.

The session is being held under the theme ‘Promoting Social Development and Social Justice through Coordinated, Equitable and Inclusive Policies’.

H E Kathiri said Oman has introduced a wide range of policies and programmes to improve social protection, notably the Social Protection Law and the Labour Law, as well as the establishment of the Social Protection Fund as a unified umbrella system to ensure comprehensive coverage and sustainability of social benefits.

He highlighted the Job Security System as a key measure to support citizens who lose their jobs, noting that it helps reduce social and economic risks.

H E Kathiri said Oman is transitioning towards a new phase of sustainable development through economic diversification, balanced development across governorates, and training and qualification of national workforce, in a way that reinforces social protection.

He pointed to several national initiatives, including the National Employment Programme to generate job opportunities for jobseekers, the National Economic Diversification Programme to expand the productive base, and the National Programme for Financial Sustainability and Financial Sector Development.

H E Kathiri added that Oman ranked first in the Gulf region in issuing an integrated framework for sustainable public sector financing, including funding for environmentally focused projects to support the goals of Vision 2040.

He said the government is also working to enhance the efficiency of social spending and improve the quality of essential services, particularly in education, healthcare and social housing, alongside support programmes aimed at enhancing social stability and inclusion.