Country Focus
Evening
21 September 2026
Country Focus Current Affairs — 21 September 2026, Evening
21 September 2026
Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tarik issued Royal Decree No. 86/2026 on 21 September 2026.
The decree ratifies the Charter establishing the Digital Cooperation Organisation.
The Charter was signed in the city of Riyadh on February 5, 2023.
The ratified text is the version attached to the decree.
The decree directs the departments concerned to deposit the instrument of ratification.
The decree is to be published in the Official Gazette and takes effect from the date of issue.
Royal Decree:
No. 86/2026
Charter signed:
Riyadh, February 5, 2023
Why it matters for exams: Treaty ratification by royal decree shows how Oman's absolute monarchy enacts international commitments, and the DCO is a new multilateral digital-economy body.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DCO Digital Cooperation Organisation — A multilateral body of member states that works on cooperation in the digital economy.
Instrument of ratification — The formal document a state deposits to confirm it accepts to be bound by a treaty.
21 September 2026
Oman's Foreign Ministry announced on 21 September 2026 that the Sultanate will take part in the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The high-level week runs from September 22 to 28.
The Omani delegation will be headed by Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi.
The programme includes high-level meetings and bilateral and multilateral meetings with several countries and international organisations.
The ministry said Oman continues its diplomatic approach based on dialogue and understanding, prioritising peaceful and political solutions.
Omar Alkathiri is Oman's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
UNGA session:
81st
High-level week:
September 22-28
Head of delegation:
Sayyid Badr Albusaidi
Why it matters for exams: Oman's mediation-based foreign policy and its representation at the UN General Assembly are standard material for world-affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UNGA United Nations General Assembly — The main deliberative organ of the UN, in which every member state has one vote.
High-level week — The opening week of a General Assembly session, when heads of state and ministers address the Assembly.
21 September 2026
Oman took part in a coordination meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial Council in New York, reported by Oman's Foreign Ministry on 21 September 2026.
The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
It was chaired by Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council.
GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi took part.
Oman was represented by Omar Said Omar Alkathiri, its Permanent Representative to the UN in New York.
The members coordinated positions for the General Assembly session and prepared for joint ministerial meetings between the GCC and several countries and groups.
Chair:
Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani (Bahrain)
GCC Secretary General:
Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi
Oman's representative:
Omar Said Omar Alkathiri
Why it matters for exams: The GCC's membership, secretariat and rotating chair are frequently asked, and Oman is one of its six founding members.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
GCC Gulf Cooperation Council — A regional bloc of six Gulf Arab states, including Oman.
Permanent Mission — A country's standing diplomatic office at an international organisation such as the UN.
20 September 2026
On 20 September 2026 Oman's Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) issued the Executive Regulations of the Special Economic Zones and Free Zones Law.
The law was promulgated by Royal Decree No. 38/2025; the regulations are Regulation No. 81/2026.
Applications for land and property allocation, licences, approvals, permits and certificates go through the One-Stop Shop, with automatic licensing after automated checks.
A strategic project must have an investment cost of no less than 10 million Omani Rials and meet one qualitative criterion, such as technology transfer or local content.
The regulations cover off-plan sales, escrow accounts and freehold ownership of units by non-Omanis in qualifying real estate projects.
HE Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef is Chairman of OPAZ.
Regulation:
No. 81/2026
Parent law:
Royal Decree No. 38/2025
Strategic project threshold:
10 million Omani Rials
Why it matters for exams: Special economic zones and free zones such as Duqm, Sohar and Salalah are central to Oman Vision 2040's push to diversify away from oil.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
OPAZ Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones — The Omani authority that regulates Oman's special economic zones, free zones and industrial cities.
One-Stop Shop — A single window where investors obtain all approvals and licences.
Escrow account — A regulated account that holds buyers' payments until set conditions are met.
Freehold — Full, permanent ownership of a property and its land.