The constitutive assembly of the Omani Economic Association held its first meeting on Tuesday 26 Ramadan 1422, AH corresponding to 11 December 2001, and decided to form the Association and constitute its first Board of Directors. The board authorized the chairman to submit the documents for the declaration of the Association to the Ministry of Social Development on 8th of January 2002, after which the Board of Directors pursued and followed up the process until it was finally declared on 10th October 2004. As we extend congratulations to ourselves and the members of the Association on this Achievement, we hope that all efforts will be brought together towards the success of the Association and the realization of its objectives. The Board of Directors inaugurated its activities by determining the means of realizing the objectives of the Association, and determined among its priorities, to hold an annual meeting of the Association in September, together with setting forth the plans which will accomplish the conference in a distinctive manner. The Board also recognized the necessity of cooperating with regional and international economic association for the success of its activities.

It is fortunate that the declaration of the Association has coincided with the time of the issuance of the First Human Development Report in Oman which has reached the conclusion that "the proper management of the affairs of the society and the state is contingent upon the establishment of correct and balanced relations within the effective forces that constitute the structure of governance, i.e. the state, private sector and the civil society”. The report defined the civil society as "composed of a wide spectrum of organizations which differ in their objectives, sizes, structures and their methods of collecting resources necessary to start their activities. The members of these organizations are independent people who work voluntarily in groups to achieve a common objective in a public sphere or environment, to express their interests, opinions and principles.

We hope that the Association will lay down the foundation of the civil society in Oman and be an effective partner in the process of the comprehensive development and, at the same time, retain its financial and administrative independence.

 

Mohamed bin Abdullah bin Hamed Alharthy
Chairman