Muscat: The Royal vision of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in developing the governorates of the Sultanate of Oman represents a strategic step towards achieving comprehensive and sustainable economic and social development, reinforced by the priority of “Developing Governorates and Sustainable Cities” to enable the governorates to optimally make use of their resources.
His Majesty the Sultan’s affirmation of the development of the governorates was stated in his Royal speech on the occasion of the first annual convening of the eighth term of the Council of Oman 2023: “Our emphasis on the development of the governorates and the reinforcement of the decentralisation principle have been realised through the enactment of the System of Governorates and the Law of Municipal Councils. This strategy aligns with our vision for locally administered governance based on decentralisation principles. It also dovetails with our objectives to empower local communities in managing their affairs and actively participating in the nation-building process.”
The Royal directives to increase the financial allocations for the Governorates Development Programme from RO 10 million to RO 20 million for each governorate during the years of the current five-year plan (2021-2025) aim to implement the strategic programmes for the development of governorates and sustainable cities, and to stimulate the comparative competitive advantages of the governorates to be a basic supporter for achieving comprehensive and sustainable development in all governorates of the Sultanate of Oman.
The total expenditure on governorates development during the period (2021-2024) stood at more than RO 81 million and about RO 44 million were allocated for the current year (2025). Among the prominent projects related to governorates development are the projects to develop seafronts, pave internal roads, develop and maintain public parks, in addition to implementing the projects that won the best proposal for a development project, which are Ibri View in Al Dhahirah Governorate, the Grand Canyon in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, and the development of the Historical Centre in Al Batinah North Governorate.
Mohammed bin Saif al Amri, Director-General of Governorate Affairs, said that Royal Decree No (36/2022) on issuance of the System of the Governorates enhances the desired administrative and economic decentralisation of the governorates. The system made the governorates administratively and financially independent units, and granted the governors the powers of the unit’s head.
He added that the move will enhance the empowerment of the governorates in the desired manner to enhance the economic and administrative aspects in these governorates, encourage and attract investment, and unify the supervisory authority for all governorates to the Minister of Interior; to ensure the organisation of topics of a common nature between the governorates under unified regulations that organise all municipal affairs to contribute to the unification of procedures and streamline them according to a common vision that achieves the desired goals.
Shaikh Said bin Rashid al Qatabi, Director-General of Social Sectors at the Ministry of Economy, said that through Oman Vision 2040, the Sultanate of Oman seeks to accord greater attention to the governorates and give them a kind of independence. The move aims to encourage the governorates to effectively engage in the economic development.
He added that in implementation of this move, the 10th five-year plan paid great attention to the priority of “Developing Governorates and Sustainable Cities”. Real strategic programmes were developed for this priority to achieve comprehensive and balanced development among various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, targeting the optimal use of natural resources according to each relative advantage available in the governorates.
Dr Rajab bin Ali al Owaisi, an expert in social and educational studies at the State Council, said that since His Majesty the Sultan’s Accession Day on January 11, 2020, he has placed a set of pillars among his priorities for building the future of Oman that came within the framework of the priorities of the Oman Vision 2040 including the priority of governorates and sustainable cities.
He added that the Sultanate of Oman’s move towards implementing decentralisation in the governorates constituted a strategic shift towards local administration and enabling the governorates to find development opportunities and self-reliance, and activate community participation in comprehensive national development.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning affirmed that it aims to achieve an integrated and modern lifestyle that is not limited to Muscat Governorate only, but rather in all governorates of the Sultanate of Oman. With the completion of the works of Sultan Haitham City, other future cities will be launched during the current year (2025) and will be announced in due course.
The ministry added that smart city projects come within the framework of achieving the National Spatial Strategy, which includes structural layouts, regional layouts and agricultural cities to enhance food security, transportation system projects and renewable energy.
Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit stated that the priority of developing governorates and sustainable cities is one of the main pillars of Oman Vision 2040. The priority aims to achieve comprehensive and balanced development among all governorates of the Sultanate of Oman. This priority also receives a Royal attention by emphasising the need to enhance integration between the centre, governorates and local development.
The unit launched a set of programmes that aim to build economic leadership in the governorates, including the programmes of the Royal Academy of Management (RAM) within the National Initiative for the Development of Local Administration, which expands at different levels: such as governors, walis, and other national groups working in the governorates. Developing local administration skills is an essential part of efforts to enhance administrative decentralisation and achieve sustainable development.
Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit, within its communication programme codenamed (All Oman), visits the governorates, focusing on comparative advantage, competitiveness and empowering the local community, with the aim of instilling a culture of continuous improvement and streamlining procedures with employees of government units in the governorates. A visit to 7 governorates was completed, during which training workshops and meetings were provided with young people to enhance their roles.
Al Tayeb City in the Wilayat of Liwa in Al Batinah North Governorate represents an integrated model for sustainable cities in the Sultanate of Oman. It covers an area ofapproximately 12 million square metres and is located near the Al Batinah Expressway. It accommodates approximately 30,000 people and provides all public services and facilities. It includes 1,300 single and double residential units. The city is planned to accommodate 3,400 residential units and approximately 50,000 residents and visitors in the future.
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The total expenditure on governorates development during the period (2021-2024) stood at more than RO 81 million and about RO 44 million were allocated for the current year (2025).
The Royal directives to increase the financial allocations for the Governorates Development Programme from RO 10 million to RO 20 million for each governorate during the years of the current five-year plan.
Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit visits the governorates, focusing on comparative advantage, competitiveness and empowering the local community.
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