Ashraf AboArafe
The Sultanate of Oman’s attainment of first place in the Arab world and eighth in the world, in the index of the best countries in quality of life for the year 2023 AD, did not come out of nowhere, but based on specific achievements and numbers; Represented by achieving the lowest rates of inflation and living costs compared to neighboring countries, the purchasing power of the Omani riyal compared to other currencies, air quality resulting from low levels of pollution in Omani cities, as well as the percentage of Omani families owning private homes close to 90%, which is one of the highest rates in the Arab world and globally. In addition to the high rates of spending on health care compared to the population, it also ranked high in the flow of traffic, and the low travel time traveled by vehicles on the roads at peak times compared to the rest of the world, and this is related to the quality of the road network and its coverage throughout the country.
This achievement is not new to the Sultanate of Oman, and it has previously achieved an advanced ranking in many international indicators over the past twenty years. In 2018, it topped the list of the safest destinations in the world, and it also came within the list of the 10 best countries for expatriates to live and live abroad. And foreign investors, where 94% of the respondents affirmed their views on the tranquility that prevails in the land of Oman, describing it as a peaceful country with tremendous natural beauty and very friendly people, and they appreciated the high-end services and policies pursued by the government, which established the values of tolerance, coexistence and acceptance of the other that prevail in Omani society.
The Sultanate of Oman previously topped the index of countries least suffering from terrorism, which was achieved as a result of the Sultanate’s absence from the threat of terrorist attacks, political stability and security throughout Oman. It also ranked first in the Arab world in the absence of organized crime and the reliability of police services, and its impact on the safety of commercial businesses. In light of the spread of fraud and fraud crimes that are sweeping many countries of the world.
The Sultanate of Oman is a state of law, and it was previously ranked first in the Arab world in the index of the independence of the judiciary, which is the basic guarantee for the protection of the rights and freedoms of individuals, without discrimination, as everyone is equal before the law, in addition to the maintenance of intellectual property rights and the protection of trademarks, and the strength of the labor law that regulates relations between business owners. and workers, and preserves the rights of all parties, which provides an attractive work environment for investment and an incentive to increase production.
The Sultanate also came first in the Arab world and in the Gulf in terms of the time required to start a commercial project, the efficiency of the legal framework in settling disputes, and the future direction of the government to develop infrastructure, communications and shipping lines, port services, and the efficiency of transport and logistics facilities.
The Sultanate of Oman also occupied an advanced Arab ranking in the education index, the quality of vocational training, the critical thinking in teaching indicators, and the number of students per teacher in primary education.
The Sultanate of Oman ranked ninth globally in the index of the distorting effect of taxes and subsidies on competition, and second in the Gulf region in internal labor mobility, financing small and medium enterprises, providing venture capital and diversifying the workforce.
Oman’s future vision 2040 seeks to improve the competitiveness index by supporting institutional and administrative skills, opening internal and external markets for local products, advancing production, adopting information and communication technology, expanding the overall economy, and supporting development and innovation.
