Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has issued a series of 16 Royal Decrees aimed at restructuring various government bodies to enhance economic, educational, and social frameworks within the country.
According to Oman News Agency, the first decree, Royal Decree No. 7/2026, establishes the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, outlining its specializations and endorsing its organizational structure. Following this, Royal Decree No. 8/2026 establishes the Oman International Financial Center, granting it legal personality and autonomy.
In a move to streamline government operations, Royal Decree No. 9/2026 abolishes the Higher Committee for Conferences, while Royal Decree No. 10/2026 defines the specializations of the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers and endorses its organizational structure. This includes the transfer of allocations and employees from the Government Communication Center and other related units.
Royal Decree No. 11/2026 establishes the Research and Innovation Authority, defining its specializations and organizational structure, and transferring relevant assets and employees from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. Similarly, Royal Decree No. 12/2026 amends the name and structure of the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education.
The restructuring continues with Royal Decree No. 13/2026, which defines the specializations of the Ministry of Economy and incorporates the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit into its framework. Royal Decree No. 14/2026 merges the Ministry of Education with the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, creating a unified Ministry of Education.
Further organizational changes are implemented through Royal Decree No. 15/2026, which defines the specializations and structure of the Ministry of Social Development. Royal Decree No. 16/2026 amends the system of the Oman Investment Authority, appointing two deputies for the Chairman.
Royal Decree No. 17/2026 restructures the Council of Ministers under the chairmanship of His Majesty the Sultan, appointing several key figures to ministerial positions. This is followed by Royal Decree No. 18/2026, which conducts placements in various government posts.
In addition, Royal Decree No. 19/2026 appoints two advisors, while Royal Decree No. 20/2026 grants the rank of minister to Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Zahir Al Hinai. Royal Decree No. 21/2026 conducts further placements, appointing several individuals to strategic positions across various ministries and government units.
Finally, Royal Decree No. 22/2026 appoints two deputies for the Chairman of Oman Investment Authority, focusing on investment and operations.
These decrees are to be published in the Official Gazette and are effective immediately, marking significant steps in the reorganization and optimization of Oman's governmental structures.