Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik issued Royal Decree No. (57/2026) today, initiating significant changes in the administration of the Postal Sector. The decree mandates the transfer of all allocations, origins, rights, obligations, and assets associated with the Postal Sector from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.
According to Oman News Agency, the decree further stipulates that employees within the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority who specialize in the Postal Sector will also be transferred to the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology. This transition will include their financial grades and will be executed through a mechanism agreed upon by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and the Chief Executive Officer of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.
The decree also grants the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology the authority to regulate and license courier and last-mile delivery services offered via digital platforms, such as delivery applications. This marks a significant shift in regulatory responsibilities from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to the Ministry.
Moreover, the decree dictates changes in terminology used in the Royal Decree No. 71/2012 concerning the Postal Service Regulatory Law. Specifically, terms such as "Authority" will be replaced by "Ministry," and "Chairman of the Board" will be replaced by "Minister." Other phrases related to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority will be updated to reflect the new administrative structure.
The decree concludes by stating that it will be published in the Official Gazette and will take effect from its date of issue.