Gathering Storm

9 www.digitaldaya.com PLACINGTECHNOLOGY ONTHE NATIONALAGENDA - HIS MAJESTY, SULTAN QABOOS BIN SAID OF OMAN Oman’s 70-year-old Sultan Qaboos bin Said has lifted Oman to new levels of internal openness, engagement with “outside” societies and has turned Oman into a model of the modern Islamic state.The country boasts a highway system, artistic monuments and architecture,Western-style shopping malls,quality,5-star accommodations and modern office buildings that symbolize a growing, thriving,expansive economy. In addition to these surface changes, internal changes in government tell an even more revealing story.While the Sultan maintains absolute authority within Oman’s government structure, Qaboos bin Said has instituted parliamentary elections in which woman vote and seek office. Power sharing and gender equality. Other deeper changes within Omani society include: engagement with Western and non- Muslim nations at the highest levels, expanded access to uncensored print media, the development of a secondary level school system (an investment in the country’s future, no doubt), and an expanded system of health care for Omani citizens.In short,thisWestern-educated monarch has turned Oman from a wind-swept, desolate, isolated, centralized nation into a modern, thriving economy using the country’s small oil revenues to finance these improvements to benefit the people. Further, Sultan Qaboos bin Said is on Facebook and a strong advocate of the use of information technology, seeing the W3 as the important tool that it is. Speaking at the annual session of the Council of Oman, the country’s leader made clear his views on the world wide web and its use in nation building and middle class evolution and growth: “Information technology and communications have now become the main elements that move forward the development process in this third millennium,” His Majesty said. “Therefore, we have accorded our attention to finding a national strategy to develop the skills and abilities of citizens in this domain with the aim of further developing e-government services.We are closely following the important steps that we have made in this regard.We call upon all government institutions to speedily enhance their performance, and to facilitate their services, by applying digital technology in order to usher the Sultanate into the constantly evolving spheres for applying knowledge.” Qaboos bin Said has turned Oman from a isolated,centralized nation into a modern,thriving economy using the country’s small oil revenues to finance these improvements to benefit the people.