Category: General

Sohar: Minerals Development Oman Company (MDO) celebrated today the groundbreaking ceremony for redeveloping the Lasil and Al Baydha copper mines in Block 4 of the Wilayats of Sohar and Liwa.

The event was held under the auspices of Eng. Salim Nasser Al Oufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals.

The redevelopment of the Lasil and Al Baydha mines is the MDO’s first copper mine project; resulted from the intensive exploration programs carried out by MDO in 2022 revealed the potential of commercial reserves of copper ore estimated at approximately 2.78 million tons in Block 4, part of Oman Mining Company geological assets.

The project will encompass a series of phases, including the mobilization and construction of the mines, open-pit mining operations, and then the commencement of processing and concentration operations. The production of copper ore from the Lasil mine is anticipated to begin this year, while production from the Al Baydha mine is expected to commence in 2026.

The project aims to produce approxi
mately 800,000 tons of copper ore per annum. The project’s initial phase is expected to last four years based on the current reserves. However, the company is progressing exploration campaign at the surrounding areas to hopefully secure new reserves and extend the production period.

Eng. Nasser Saif Al Moqbali, CEO of MDO, said, “The redevelopment project of the Lasil and Al Baydha copper mines marks the start of a significant journey for a series of mining projects and a crucial step towards reviving the copper mining industry in the Sultanate of Oman, which will keep up with the global demand externally and boost the local industries internally.”

The project strives to enrich local value addition and optimize value chains in collaboration and partnership with the private sector. MDO has awarded the mining contract to a national contractor, and awarded the processing contract to Mawarid Mining to process the copper ore in their concentrator located in the Wadi Al Jizzi, Sohar. This initiative exemplifies t
he company’s unwavering commitment to fostering the mining sector in Oman through a commendable public-private partnership.

MDO’s CEO added: “Since the transfer of Oman Mining Company to the group, MDO has begun implementing an ambitious turnaround strategy to revive the company and benefit from its previously unexplored geological assets. Within a short period, we managed to overcome many of these challenges with the support of our partners in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and other Government entities.

The redevelopment of the Lasil and Al Baydha copper mines project is a significant accomplishment of the turnaround strategy. This strategy aims to enhance the company’s financial performance, leverage its human resources and technical expertise, and restore the Oman Mining Company’s prestigious position in the copper industry markets’.

Source: Oman News Agency

On the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian Journalists, Syrian journalists in all provinces stood a moment of silence to mourn journalists who were martyred in Palestine in the Israeli aggression on Gaza strip.

This event is part of a call by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) to hold a moment of silence on the lives of press martyrs in occupied Palestine within their workplaces.

The participates called on international organizations to assume their moral and legal responsibilities by exerting pressure on the occupying entity to stop its aggression, hold it accountable for its crimes, and take immediate action to ensure the safety of civilians and journalists in Gaza and the occupied territories.

They also stressed the need to stop the systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists, during their coverage of the occupation’s aggression, which is trying to promote its narrative, mislead public opinion, and cover up its crimes, stressing that the Al-Aqsa flood operation showed the
real ugly image of the criminal entity, and revealed its truth while facing the owners of the land; the resistants.

The stance affirms that the speech is unified in the Syrian and Palestinian arenas, and that the terrorism that targeted media professionals in the two countries is one.

All media institutions in Damascus and other Syrian governorates witnessed similar stances during which participating journalists raised banners calling for an end to the killing of Palestinian journalists.

Syrian Arab News Agency Director-General, Eyad Wannous, said during the stand organized by the agency that the Israeli occupation’s killing of journalists in Palestine aims to kill guardians of truth, and to keep only the narrative of lies, and media misinformation, in continuation of its crimes that represent a grave violation of international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and journalists guaranteed by international conventions

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

General Director of Al Assad National Library, Fadi Ghanem, discussed with Hu MuQing, President of Shanghai Art Collection Museum, and accompanying delegation strengthening cultural ties between Syria and China in the field of libraries and manuscripts.

Exchanging cultural materials, and holding joint exhibitions were also the focus of the meeting.

Ghanem gave the Chinese delegation a detailed explanation about the history of the library, its role in preserving the national cultural heritage, and the cultural and knowledge services it provides to researchers and scholars.

The delegation toured around the library and viewed the Directorate of Manuscripts and Rare Books there. They also visited the Restoration Department, and learned about the steps followed in the process of restoring and preserving books and manuscripts in the library.

The Chinese delegation presented the Library a book talking about restoring and protecting manuscripts.

The library, in turn, provided the delegation with a collection of
books talking about Syrian manuscripts, antiquities, and Syrian plastic art.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

Muscat: Oman oil price (April delivery 2024) today reached 80.40 US Dollars, comprising a drop by 1.68 US Dollars compared to the price of last (Friday), which stood at 82.08 US Dollars.

The average price of Oman oil (February delivery 2024) has stabilized at 77.21 US Dollars per barrel, thus 5.96 US Dollars per barrel lower than January delivery 2024.

Source: Oman News Agency

Tunis: President Kais Saied of the Tunisian Republic received at the presidential palace in the capital Tunis today Sayyid Hamoud Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior.

This came during his reception to the Arab Interior Ministers who are taking part in the 41st session meeting of the Arab Interior Ministers Council.

During the meeting, Sayyid Hamoud conveyed greetings and best wishes of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to President Kais Saied and the people of Tunisia.

On his turn, the Tunisian President asked Sayyid Hamoud to convey his greetings and best wishes to His Majesty the Sultan and the Omani people.

During the reception, President Kais Saied underlined the effective and important role of the Arab Interior Ministers Council in coordinating the security cooperation between the Arab states. He wished them success in their meeting to come up with all that meets aspirations of the Arab leaders and peoples.

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister received in his office here today Ambassador Wolfgang Amadeus Bruelhart, Swiss Envoy to the Middle East and North Africa.

The meeting reviewed bilateral relations and means of promoting them, as well as ways to diversify cooperation in the economic, trade and cultural fields. The meeting underscores the importance of following up the agreements and MoUs signed between the two countries during the visit of President Dr. Alain Berset of the Swiss Confederation to the Sultanate of Oman in November 2023.

The two sides also exchanged views on the regional and international developments, most importantly the repercussions of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the necessity of achieving an immediate ceasefire, as well as opening the crossings for the flow of all relief needs and necessary living materials for the population. This, the two sides believe, will help reduce the escalation, contain the expansion of the conflict in the reg
ion and activate the initiatives and efforts to achieve a just peace based on the two-state solution.

The meeting was attended by a number of officials from both sides.

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: Tasks of Oman Conference on Environmental Sustainability began today at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The three-day conference deals with carbon-neutrality-related research, the best practices, global experiences and environmental laws and regulations.

The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of HH Sayyid Asaad bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs, Personal Representative of His Majesty the Sultan.

The conference seeks to coordinate environment-action efforts of governmental, academic and research institutions, as well as regional and international organizations, private sector companies, civil society organizations and individuals.

The ceremony included the inauguration of ‘Naqi'(Pure), the national platform for monitoring air quality indicators. The platform is designed to enhance public health and improve Oman’s Environment Indicator.

The conference activities include an environmental roadshow that showcases the latest in
novations, techniques, solutions and technologies in different environmental fields.

On the sidelines of the conference, the Environment Authority and the GCC Accreditation Centre signed a Cooperation Programme in the field of ensuring environmental safety in the Sultanate of Oman.

The Programme is aimed at consolidating joint action, communication and coordination in the field of accreditation, quality assurance, environment safety and related services in Oman, in line with international practices.

The Cooperation Programme was signed by Dr. Abdullah Ali Al Amri, Chairman of the Environment Authority, and Eng. Mutib Al Mizani, Director-General of the GCC Accreditation Centre.

The Cooperation Programme stipulates that the two sides shall exchange information, legislations, plans, expertise and the best practices they undertake in the areas of accreditation, quality assessment procedures and database for service providers. It also introduces a mechanism for appointing and registering companies, recruiting
specialized experts and conducting research and studies related to environmental laboratories.

The Programme also provides for developing inspection and control mechanism, training inspectors in accordance with international standards, supporting small and medium enterprises and co-organizing training and awareness events.

The conference is organized by the Environment Authority in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme, Sultan Qaboos University, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism. It discusses 160 scholarly papers from different countries of the world.

Source: Oman News Agency

Manah: The ‘Oman Across the Ages Museum’ in the Wilayat of Manah (A’ Dakhiliyah Governorate) today hosted activities of the second day of meetings of the ‘International Museum Construction Congress (IMCC)’.

As many as 120 specialists in museum construction are taking part in the three-day conference, which began on 25 February 2024.

The event seeks to enhance the knowledge of young people with disabilities, expand their talents and foster dialogue among innovators in the field of museum construction and management.

During the congress, participants and specialists in building museums underscored the significance of utilizing modern technology to showcase the potential of museums to visitors and other segments of society. They also highlighted the efforts being made to transform historical and archaeological monuments into public-interest destinations.

The meeting included a working paper on the stages of construction of the ‘Oman Across the Ages Museum’. The paper gave extensive insights into the museum c
onstruction industry and expanded the specialists’ knowhow in this specialty.

It is worth noting that the IMCC, a global conference that roams the world, accorded an exceptional session to Oman to explore the country’s experience. The two venues chosen for this session are the National Museum and ‘Oman Across the Ages Museum’.

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) general index (30) today gained (15.9) points, comprising a rise by (0.35%) to close at (4594.06) points, compared to the last session, which stood at (4578.14) points.

The trading value today stood at (RO 3,201,190), comprising a rise by (3.8%), compared to the last session, which stood at (RO 3,083,317).

The report released by MSX pointed out that the market value went up by (0.022%) to reach about (RO 23.62) billion.

The report added that the value of shares bought by non-Omani investors reached (RO 456,000), comprising (14.26 %). The value of shares sold by non-Omani investors reached (RO 468,000), comprising (14.62%). The net non-Omani investment fell by (0.36%) to (RO 12,000).

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman and the friendly Republic of India held the 9th strategic dialogue meeting in Muscat today.

The Omani side was headed by Major General Idris Abdulrahman Al Kindi, Secretary General of the National Security Council while the Indian side was headed by Shri Vikram Misri, Deputy National Security Advisor.

The meeting reiterated the deep-rooted relations and strategic partnership between the two countries in various fields and the desire of both countries’ leaderships to boost the relations, which was crowned by the visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to the Republic of India in December 2023.

The two sides discussed wide range of strategic issues and matters of common interest, as well as updates of joint ventures and future projects in a manner that serves the orientations and interests of the two friendly countries.

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: Activities of the 3rd edition of the World Travel Week Middle East, organized by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, kicked off today at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel.

More than 180 companies from the Sultanate of Oman and abroad are taking part in the event, titled ‘Connections Luxury Middle East’.

The conference aims to enhance partnership and communication between international luxury travel and tourism companies and their Omani counterparts. The partners include hotel establishments and tourism service providers using innovative communication methods to develop relations and exchange experiences.

Azzan Qasim Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism stressed the importance of the event as it will be fruitful, based on the success of last year’s gathering.

He said: ‘Tourism in Oman has gone from strength to strength. Last year, a record-breaking 4 million visitors – luxury travellers, adventurers, nature enthusiasts, cruise ship passengers, sports fans and ev
ent attendees amongst them – experienced the warmth of Oman’s legendary hospitality, the breathtaking beauty of our spectacular landscapes, our rich heritage, vibrant living traditions and the delights of our cuisine’.

He added: ‘At Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism as we unroll our National Tourism Strategy 2040 and bring to life the ambitions of Oman Vision 2040 under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, we are laser focused on creating an environment where Tourism can flourish and grow.

We are achieving this through the introduction of tourism-friendly legislation and enterprise-driven initiatives, investment in infrastructure and attractions, capacity building, the creation of specialized investment zones for Tourism development and more’.

On his turn, Haitham Mohammed Al Ghassani, Director-General of Tourism Promotion at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, said that Oman’s hosting the third edition of the event offers an ideal opportunity for partners to meet and organi
ze introductory visits through which tourists could explore landmarks in Muscat Governorate and other governorates of Oman.

Visits to landmarks and travel destinations in Oman would help provide the global travel firms and tourists with a clear image of the country’s tourism potential, said Al Ghassani. He added that, through these visits, Oman will have a better exposure, since the global firms would include the country in their promotion programmes.

Al Ghassani told Oman News Agency (ONA) that 14 tourism companies were chosen to conduct familiarization trips in Dhofar Governorate. The visits, which will cover heritage sites and tourism landmarks, include the Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Salalah, Al Hisn Palace, Al Hisn Market, Al-Baleed Archaeological Park, the ‘Land of Frankincense Museum’, Samhan Mountain, Wadi Darbat, the Samharam Archaeological Park, Taqah Castle and Kofan heritage hostel.

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has sent a cable of greetings to President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic on his country’s Independence Anniversary.

In the cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere sentiments and best wishes to President Abinader and the Dominican people.

Source: Oman News Agency

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Fayssal Mikdad, affirmed Syria’s rejection of the West’s collective attempts to employ human rights mechanisms and impose politicized decisions to interfere in the internal affairs of countries with the aim of implementing its political agendas.

‘Syria stresses its full support for people in Palestine who are being subjected to genocide constituting clear evidence of the racist nature of the Israeli occupation.’ said Mikdad, giving a video statement before High Level Segment – 55th regular session of the Human Rights Council (26 February – 05 April 2024).

Mikdad underlined the occupation is boasting about its killing of more than 29 thousand Palestinians and its deliberate targeting of medical personnel and civilian facilities, with unlimited political, military and economic support from human rights advocates in the West, led by the United States.

It is necessary to renew commitment to Agenda item 7 of the Human Rights Council, because it highlights the practic
es of the Israeli occupation and its gross and systematic violations, as it has left none of the basic rights without being violated, he added.

Mikdad went on to say ‘Syria underscores its right to restore the entire occupied Golan and rejects all ‘Israeli’ measures to perpetuate its occupation, which blatantly violate UN resolutions, most notably UNSC Resolution No. 497.’

The resolution entitled ‘The Human Rights Situation Facing Syrian Returnees’ and its outcomes constitute the perfect example that exposes the falsehood and claims of the West, as this non-consensual and politicized resolution is used to distort the image of the Syrian state, Mikdad noted.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency