Oman

Sustaining poverty eradication amid economic diversification and potential labour market shifts.

Ensuring continued support for vulnerable groups, including low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

Managing regional disparities in income and service access between urban and rural areas.

Solution

Universal access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure for all residents.

Increased government spending on basic services, reflecting strong social investment priorities.

Education remains a top budget priority, reinforcing the link between learning opportunities and poverty reduction.

Equal land ownership rights (100%) guaranteed by law for both men and women, promoting equity and asset security.

Need for further development of targeted social safety mechanisms to adapt to evolving economic and demographic changes.

Continued vigilance required to prevent poverty risks arising from external shocks (e.g., climate change, inflation, or global market fluctuations).

Need for sustained food security amid climate pressures and water scarcity.

Persistent low levels of child malnutrition requiring ongoing intervention and monitoring.

Strengthening nutrition education and awareness, particularly in vulnerable communities.

Solution

Significant government investment in agriculture, fisheries, water management, food safety, and reserve systems.

Agricultural productivity enhanced, reducing reliance on imports and ensuring stable food supply chains.

Steady decline in child malnutrition and improvement in nutritional outcomes.

Contribution to GDP and employment from food-related sectors continues to rise, reinforcing social and economic stability.

Need for further diversification of agricultural production to meet evolving dietary needs and reduce import dependency.

Continued efforts required to sustain food security systems amid global market fluctuations and climate challenges.

Access and quality in specialised health services need strengthening to meet final 2030 targets.

Sustaining progress towards the remaining 2030 health targets, particularly in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and lifestyle-related conditions.

Enhancing road safety awareness and injury prevention to further reduce accident-related deaths.

Managing the growing burden of chronic diseases as life expectancy increases.

Solution

High immunisation coverage and declining mortality rates from diseases such as tuberculosis and from road traffic accidents.

Universal health coverage achieved, supported by extensive investment in hospitals, clinics, and healthcare infrastructure nationwide.

Life expectancy continues to rise, reflecting the success of healthcare policies and public health initiatives.

Need for greater health system resilience to address emerging public health threats.

Continuous workforce training and capacity building required to maintain high-quality, equitable health services nationwide.

Further improvement in learning outcomes, digital readiness, and vocational pathways is needed.

English language proficiency gaps persist among students, affecting international competitiveness and access to global opportunities.

Ensuring consistent teaching quality across all regions, especially in remote and rural areas.

Adapting curricula to meet the demands of the digital economy and future labour markets.

Solution

Gender parity achieved in enrolment, with girls outperforming boys in most proficiency areas.

100% of teachers fully qualified, supported by continuous professional development and training.

Low pupil–teacher ratio (12.6:1), ensuring better classroom engagement and learning quality.

97% of children complete primary education and adult literacy stands at 98%, among the highest globally.

Strong integration of digital skills, sustainability, and global citizenship across curricula.

Need for continuous curriculum reform to balance academic excellence with vocational and innovation-focused skills.

Further efforts required to bridge performance disparities between schools and sustain high learning outcomes nationwide.

Low representation of women in politics and leadership, including 10.7% of parliamentary seats, 0.8% of local council seats, and 17.9% of department-head positions.

Solution

Reproductive healthcare coverage nearly universal (99%), ensuring maternal health and well-being.

Strong legal frameworks exist to prevent discrimination and promote gender equality.

Women have access to education and form a qualified workforce, contributing significantly to social and economic development.

Ongoing challenge to translate legal rights into practical empowerment across all sectors.

Ensuring sustainable progression in women’s political, economic, and social participation to meet 2030 SDG targets.

Need for sustainable groundwater management and efficiency in desalination.

High freshwater withdrawal at 128% of available resources, reflecting water scarcity and pressure on natural supplies.

Need to balance growing demand with limited renewable water sources amid climate stress.

Solution

Comprehensive wastewater management: All household and industrial wastewater is treated safely.

Nationwide infrastructure coverage: Every region benefits from clean water supply and modern sewage systems.

Legal and regulatory progress: New laws introduced to regulate drinking water quality and sewage treatment.

Technological innovation: Establishment of Oman’s first artificial rain (cloud-seeding) station to enhance groundwater recharge.

Environmental quality: Around 75% of water bodies originate from high-quality natural sources.

Integrated water resources management (IWRM): Implementation level reached 79% as of 2020.

Long-term sustainability risks remain due to over-extraction and dependency on desalination.

Need to further strengthen water conservation culture and efficiency technologies to secure future resilience.

Ongoing reliance on fossil fuels as many renewable projects are still under development.

Scaling up renewable infrastructure to meet the 2030 target requires continued investment, capacity building, and regulatory support.

Ensuring energy system resilience during the transition to intermittent renewable sources.

Solution

Major investment in clean energy: Over USD 35 billion secured for solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects.

Rising contribution of clean energy to GDP and growth in renewable sector jobs.

Net-zero roadmap: Efficiency and security plan in place with a goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Strategic programmes launched to expand solar, wind, and green hydrogen capacity across the country.

·       Need to accelerate full deployment of planned renewable projects to reduce dependency on oil and gas.

·       Ensuring integration of renewable energy into the grid while maintaining affordability and reliability.

Youth unemployment and underemployment remain high despite policy interventions.

Labour market still adjusting to diversification and digital economy requirements.

Limited progress in ensuring full employment with decent pay across all sectors.

Solution

Inflation controlled: Annual inflation reduced from 2.8% in 2022 to 0.2% in April 2024.

Investment environment: Legislative and institutional frameworks encourage domestic and foreign investment in diversified sectors.

Private sector and workforce development: Initiatives underway to enhance women’s participation, digital skills, and job opportunities for nationals.

Continued need for job creation, skills training, and private-sector absorption of Omani nationals.

Further reforms required to fully integrate women and youth into the workforce and achieve equitable, sustainable economic growth.

Global innovation ranking improvements remain a work in progress.

Need to further strengthen linkages between academia, research, and industry to accelerate knowledge-based growth.

Ensuring sustainable infrastructure development aligned with environmental and social standards.

Solution

Special economic zones and investment incentives established to attract private and foreign investment.

National innovation plan implemented to enhance R&D outputs and improve the business climate.

Sector growth: Logistics, food processing, and technology startups are expanding rapidly.

Improved access to finance for SMEs through new laws, funds, and support mechanisms.

Continued effort required to scale industrial clusters and enhance global competitiveness.

Ensuring long-term sustainability and inclusivity in industrial and technological development.

Limited availability of detailed data on income and wealth distribution restricts comprehensive monitoring of inequalities.

Ensuring that regional and sectoral development continues to reach all vulnerable populations.

Maintaining the effectiveness of social protection programmes amid economic and demographic changes.

Solution

Balanced regional development through new funding formulas and local initiatives.

Social inclusion: Active measures support women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.

Legal and institutional frameworks implemented to follow international agreements such as the CRC, CEDAW, and CRPD.

Social protection programmes: Social Security Law No. (84/87) and initiatives like the Tamkeen Program provide financial and economic empowerment to needy households.

SDG 10 ranked among the highest-performing goals (over 90% of targets achieved).

·       Ensuring that social protection and empowerment programmes fully adapt to emerging needs of marginalized groups.

·       Sustaining long-term equity in opportunities and access to resources, particularly for women, disabled persons, and low-income households.

·       Ensuring sustainable growth in rapidly urbanising areas.

·       Integrating climate resilience and energy efficiency into all new urban projects.

·       Maintaining affordable housing supply amid population growth and urban expansion.

Solution

Smart city initiatives implemented, including metro planning, green building codes, and mass transit improvements.

Housing expansion for low-income groups under social housing laws.

Waste management and recycling programmes integrated into municipal planning.

Disaster preparedness measures included in city infrastructure planning.

High SDG dashboard score: over 90% of targets achieved, reflecting strong municipal and urban governance.

Scaling smart city technologies nationwide remains an ongoing task.

Balancing urban development with environmental conservation in high-growth areas.

Rising production costs – approximately USD 47 per cubic metre – present financial and sustainability challenges.

Solution

New standards introduced for chemicals, packaging, and industrial processes to promote sustainability.

Energy efficiency improvements are reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP.

Municipal recycling infrastructure expanding, supporting more sustainable waste management.

Continuous need to strengthen monitoring and reporting of resource efficiency indicators.

Ensuring long-term behavioural change among businesses and households to achieve SDG 12 targets.

Maintaining progress on emission reductions while sustaining economic growth.

Strengthening adaptation measures to address climate variability, water scarcity, and extreme weather events.

Continuing to expand climate literacy and behavioural change across all sectors of society.

Climate governance: Climate Council and sectoral bodies coordinate mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Disaster risk reduction strategies implemented at national and local levels.

Historical environmental leadership: Ministry of Environment (1984) and Environmental Affairs Council (1979) established early in the region.

Biodiversity and resource management: National Strategy and Biodiversity Action Plan developed to ensure sustainable use and equitable benefits.

Climate education: Environmental and sustainability principles are mainstreamed into school curricula, teacher training, and student assessments.

GHG emissions: Estimated 90 million tons CO₂ equivalent in 2021; ongoing measures aim to reduce emissions.

Disaster resilience: Mortality/missing rate due to disasters approximately 64.4 per 100,000 population in 2021.

Long-term financing and implementation of large-scale mitigation projects remain ongoing.

Ensuring that all sectors achieve net-zero targets in line with Vision 2040 and international commitments.

Ensuring sustainable fishing practices across all coastal regions.

Expanding MPAs and enhancing biodiversity conservation to meet international benchmarks.

Monitoring and improving marine water quality to prevent pollution and degradation.

Solution

Marine conservation measures: Establishment of marine sanctuaries and fisheries regulations.

Legal and international frameworks: Accession to the Ramsar Treaty (2012) and national laws safeguarding coastal and wetland ecosystems.

Early efforts show a strong foundation for marine protection and sustainable resource management.

Need for long-term enforcement and management of protected areas and fisheries.

Continuing efforts required to balance economic use of fisheries with ecological sustainability.

Maintaining and expanding protected areas to cover remaining unprotected critical habitats.

Ensuring long-term ecological monitoring to track species and habitat health.

Balancing land-use development with conservation goals, especially in rapidly developing regions.

Solution

National biodiversity strategy and multiple conservation laws implemented.

Forest and wildlife programmes: Reforestation initiatives, protected wildlife corridors, and habitat restoration projects advanced.

Regulatory enforcement: Effective implementation of wetlands law and other environmental regulations, recognised internationally (e.g., UNESCO environmental awards).

On-track performance: Data and VNR analysis indicate Oman is meeting its land conservation and biodiversity targets.

Need to further strengthen community engagement and awareness in biodiversity conservation.

Continuous updating of data and reporting systems to ensure adaptive management of natural resources.

Sustaining long-term institutional integrity amid evolving global and domestic challenges.

Ensuring continuous improvement in transparency, accountability, and social justice measures.

Maintaining capacity for proactive global peace mediation while addressing domestic priorities.

Peace and stability: Crime rates are low, and the country maintains long-standing social and political stability.

·       Governance and institutions: Strong justice frameworks, e-government initiatives, and transparency measures.

·       Global diplomacy: Active role in regional peace efforts (e.g., Yemen, Iranian nuclear agreement) and hostage-release facilitation.

·       Cultural initiatives: Global Tolerance Exhibition and Shared Human Values Initiative promote intercultural dialogue.

·       Anti-corruption and rule of law: Efforts to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and human trafficking in coordination with international bodies.

·       Balancing domestic governance reforms with international peace initiatives.

·       Ensuring full inclusion of marginalized groups in institutional decision-making.

Continuously scaling partnerships to cover all sectors and regions, ensuring no stakeholder is left behind.

Maintaining strategic balance between domestic priorities and international commitments.

Ensuring that partnerships effectively translate into measurable SDG outcomes.

Solution

Domestic partnerships: Use of public–private partnerships (PPP) to finance infrastructure and development projects, supported by a new PPP law.

Alignment with SDGs: National planning and policies are coordinated with UN frameworks to ensure SDG coherence.

Financial and logistical support: Oman consistently fulfils obligations to international organisations, reinforcing credibility and influence.

Global reputation: Long-standing diplomatic consistency and prudence have earned Oman respect and trust in international affairs.

Strengthening data sharing and reporting mechanisms to track partnership contributions to each SDG.

Expanding engagement with civil society and local communities to complement government-led partnerships.