Wednesday 14 / May / 2025
Jakarta- The Council of Oman took part in the 19th session of the Conference of the Parliamentary Union of OIC Member States (PUIC), held in Jakarta, Indonesia, today.
Oman's delegation was headed by Khalid Hilal Al Ma'awali, Chairman of the Shura Council.
In his speech at the opening of the session, Al Ma’awali lauded the theme of the conference titled “PUIC Silver Jubilee – Good Governance and Strong Institutions as Pillars of Resilience.”
This theme, Al Ma'awali said, "matches our aspirations and affirms that the progress of nations can only be built on the principles of justice, integrity and transparency. He also laid emphasis on the concept of good governance which, he observed, has become a cornerstone for progress, noting that societies are not measured by their natural resources alone, but also by their wise management of those resources through efficient and independent institutions that enjoy the confidence of society."
He stressed that parliaments play a significant role in consolidating the values of justice, integrity and transparency, since parliaments are the bodies that enact laws and legislation and regulate concepts of transparency and reform.
Al Ma'awali pointed out that the Sultanate of Oman's experience in promoting good governance has always been the center of attention when devising future plans.
Through Oman Vision 2040, the government paid great attention to the principle of governance, recognizing its significance in promoting comprehensive national development.
Governance has been adopted as a fundamental principle for achieving efficiency in institutional performance and ensuring transparency and integrity in procedures, he said.
He added that Oman Vision 2040 seeks to establish an integrated system of good governance based on clear principles of accountability, justice and the rule of law, besides adopting the best administrative and technical practices that ensure the quality and sustainability of government services.
The vision also underscores the importance of involving society in decision-making and achieving a balance between economic growth and social development.
Al Ma'awali argued that, “In the midst of our discussion of good governance and strong institutions as pillars of resilience, we must not ignore the alarming international failure to address the humanitarian tragedies, flagrant violations of international law, the absence of justice and the violation of human rights of Palestinian people, most notably in the Gaza Strip.
He added that the horrific events in the Gaza Strip revealed the absence of fair global governance and the weakness of system of international accountability. This failure, he said, leads to the continuation of the occupation, the exacerbation of suffering of the Palestinian people and the absence of hope. “Hence, our meeting today is required to raise the voice of conscience and activate the tools of politics and law to support the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people,” he said.
The Council of Oman delegation participated in the coordination meeting of the Arab Group. The meeting discussed the hosting of the 20th session of the Union, the nomination of members of the Executive Committee and the appointment of 4 members to represent Arab councils and parliaments in the Union's standing committees.
During the meeting, it was agreed that the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would continue to represent the Arab Group within the Executive Committee. The meeting also approved the convening of the next meeting of the Executive Committee in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
--- Ends/Bishara/AG
