Alignment of the Goals of Sustainable Development 2030:
The goals of sustainable development represent the controlling elements in the development of the ninth five-year development plan 2016-2020 issued by the Royal Decree No. 1/2016. The plan included a set of sectorial goals relevant to the objectives of sustainable development 2030. The plan provides for the following:
Here follow the details of the actions taken by the Sultanate of Oman to achieve the goals of the seventeenth sustainable development as basically reflected in the ninth 5-year plan (2016-2020):
First, second and third goals: They are goals related to eradicating poverty and hunger and ensuring the enjoyment of healthy life styles and welfare for all ages. Based on ratings by the World Bank, the Sultanate belongs to high income countries and is considered one of the top countries in respect to the indications of human development. The Sultanate does not suffer poverty issue in light of the international definition of poverty; average daily individual income is US$ 2, meanwhile, the average income in the Sultanate exceeds US$ 26000 annually. So, the objective of the plan is the achievement of growth rates, which would maintain this level and secure the welfare of Omanis.
Fourth goal: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Advancement of education is one of the major pillars of the ninth 5-year development plan. Education qualifies citizens in general and the youth in particular to labour market. The plan provides for focusing on comprehensive social development and its main principles are education, training and operation with the goal of advancing educational levels of Omanis in 2040. The third goal of the plan provides for creating productive and rewarding employment opportunities to citizens by means of amending education and training path in the Sultanate within the framework of the national education strategy, so education and training deliverables would align with the needs of employment market.
Fifth goal: Achieve gender equality and empowering all girls and women
Over the last four decades, the Sultanate made significant advancement in respect to eliminating all forms of gender discrimination against girls and women regarding education and employment opportunities (In accordance with the objective 1-5). This affected the estimates of the ninth plan in respect to new entrants in the labor market. It is expected that women would represent 47% compared to 53% of the new employees. These percentages reflect the complete equality between males and females in training and education deliverables i.e. 185989 graduates during the period of the plan distributed as 49% females and 51% males.
Sixth goal: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
The Sultanate has made significant strides in "achieving the goal of fair access to safe and affordable portable water by 2030" i.e. all parts of the Sultanate, including rural and mountainous areas, have access to potable water and sewage services. The Government also ensures the availability of water resources through large desalination projects (Objectives 6.4 and 6.a). The tenth goal of the Ninth Five-Year Plan "Promoting environmental sustainability and encountering natural hazards" has been achieved through the establishment of more efficient desalination plants to increase the quantity desalinated water.
Seventh goal: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Providing access to power services is considered one of the pillars of the financial policies of the Sultanate. The policies worked on availing fuel to production and house uses at affordable prices. Despite the decline in the state financial resources as a result of the decline in oil prices and rationalization of power subsidy, the goal is still observed. State Budget Statement for 2017 provided that public expenditure in accordance to initial final accounts registered an increase by 6% in 2016 as a result of the increase in expenditures in development plans and electricity sector subsidy.
The government is developing national power strategy till 2040, which would achieve significant increase in the contribution of renewable energy in advanced energy resources, in accordance with Objective 7-2.
Eighth Goal: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
This goal along with its 10 objectives were represented in the Ninth 5-Year Plan as follows:
Ninth goal: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Top priorities of the Ninth 5-Year Plan include changing the Omani economic structure by diversifying sources of income. Transformational industries sector was on top of the promising sectors, which would contribute by 10% by the end of the plan, meanwhile, transportation and logistics is expected to contribute by 6.8% in the gross domestic product by the end of the plan. Relevant entities are completing the procedures to approve the national strategy for innovation 2040.
Tenth goal: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Fair distribution of growth outcomes was and still is one of the most significant pillars of economic and social policies whether by focusing on different social categories or maintaining balance locally. The Ninth 5-Year Plan has special interest with the development of governorates in order to achieve balanced growth of the outcomes of development for all citizens over the country. In accordance with Objective 10-1 and 10-2, the plan would focus on different governorates to achieve close levels of education, health, community services, employment opportunities and development of infrastructure and public utilities services.
Eleventh goal: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
The pillars of the ninth development plan includes the activation of the national strategy for urban development which would be identical in the majority of its pillars with the goals of the sustainable development 2030 including:
Twelfth goal: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
The first pillar of the 9th economic development plan is the sustainability of economic growth in a changing world by prioritizing the stability of the overall economic status in such a way that would promote the confidence of individual and corporate investors in the ability of Omani economy to achieve high and sustainable rates of growth.
Thirteenth goal: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
The tenth goal of the ninth plan includes promoting environmental sustainability and encountering natural hazards through:
Fourteenth goal: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
The Sultanate has a coastal line extending over 3165 km, therefore, the Sultanate is interested in the so-called “Blue Economy”, which includes developing specific plans to conserve fish abundance, the sustainability of marine resources and cleanliness of sea water. The key actions in this regard are as follows:
Fifteenth goal: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems
In addition to the 13th goal above, the Sultanate occupies an advance position in international indicators of the protection and preservation of terrestrial ecosystems and the sustainability of their usage, desertification combat and preservation of biological diversification. The tenth goal of the Ninth 5-year plan was the promotion of environmental sustainability and combating natural hazards.
Sixteenth goal: Promote peaceful societies
The Sultanate is an oasis of security and stability in a region of geopolitical disputes, therefore, the Sultanate’s diplomacy played distinguished role in peace making and settling regional disputes. Moreover, Omani society is peaceful, nonviolent and ensures equal treatment of citizens and expats, who represent 45% of the population of the Sultanate.
Seventeenth goal: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
Promote and activate means of implementation and international partnership to ensure sustainable development. The goal focuses on international cooperation and fostering regional and international cooperation and contribution in developing the capabilities of developing countries. Such role is handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the entity designated to implement the policy of the Sultanate in this regard.
Source: Ministry of Economy (Supreme Council for Planning Secretariat General previously)