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In this article, the family name is Al Said.
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Haitham Bin Tariq Al Said
  • السلطان هيثم
A photo of Haitham aged 68
Sultan Haitham
Sultan of Oman
Reign 11 January 2020
Predecessor Qaboos bin Said
Heir apparent Theyazin bin Haitham
Prime Minister and
Minister of Defence
Assumed office
11 January 2020
Deputy Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said
Asa'ad bin Tariq
Shihab bin Tariq
Preceded by Qaboos bin Said
Minister of Heritage and Culture
In office
March 2002 – 1 March 2020
Prime Minister Qaboos bin Said
Preceded by Faisal bin Ali Al Said
Succeeded by Salem bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
11 January 2020 – 18 August 2020
Prime Minister Himself
Preceded by Qaboos bin Said
Succeeded by Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi
Minister of Finance
In office
11 January 2020 – 18 August 2020
Prime Minister Himself
Preceded by Qaboos bin Said
Succeeded by Sultan bin Salem bin Saeed al-Habsi
Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In office
1994–2002
Prime Minister Qaboos bin Said
Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs
In office
1986–1994
Prime Minister Qaboos bin Said
Born (1955-10-11) 11 October 1955 (age 69)
Muscat, Muscat and Oman
Spouse
Ahad bint Abdullah bin Hamad Al Busaidiyah
​
(m. 1989)​
Issue
Full name
Haitham bin Tariq bin Taimur bin Faisal bin Turki bin Said Al Said
House Al Said
Father Tariq bin Taimur
Mother Shawana bint Hamud bin Ahmad Al Busaidiyah
Religion Ibadi Islam

Haitham bin Tariq Al Said was born on October 11, 1955. He is the current Sultan of Oman and also its Prime Minister.

Haitham was born in Muscat, the capital city of Oman. He is the grandson of Sultan Taimur bin Feisal. His cousin, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, was the previous ruler. Haitham worked in Sultan Qaboos's government for many years. He was the Minister of Heritage and Culture from 2002 to 2020. Sultan Qaboos chose Haitham as his successor in his will. Haitham became Sultan on January 11, 2020, just hours after Sultan Qaboos passed away.

Early Life and Education

Haitham is the son of Sayyid Tariq bin Taimur. His mother is Shawana bint Hamud bin Ahmad Al Busaidiyah. He has six brothers and two sisters. One of his sisters, Sayyida Nawwal bint Tariq, was married to Sultan Qaboos for a few years. His brothers Sayyid Asa'ad bin Tariq and Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq hold important government roles.

Haitham went to Saidiya School in Muscat for his early education. He also attended Brummana High School in Lebanon. In 1979, he graduated from the Foreign Service Programme at Pembroke College, Oxford, in the University of Oxford.

Family Life

Sultan Haitham is married to Sayyida Ahad bint Abdullah bin Hamad Al Busaidiyah. They have four children together.

  • Crown Prince Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham was born on August 21, 1990. He married Sayyida Meyyan bint Shihab Al Said in November 2021.
  • Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham was born on January 10, 1995. He got married in June 2021.
  • Sayyida Thuraya bint Haitham
  • Sayyida Omaima bint Haitham
Theyazin and Haitham
Sultan Haitham is saluted by his son, Crown Prince Theyazin bin Haitham (right), following the latter's graduation from Sandhurst in July 2022.

Political Career Before Becoming Sultan

Haitham loves sports and was the first head of the Oman Football Association in the early 1980s. He worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for many years. He was the Undersecretary for Political Affairs from 1986 to 1994. Later, he became the Secretary General for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 2002.

In March 2002, he was appointed Minister of Heritage and Culture. He also led the national census committee in 2003. Haitham often represented Oman in other countries. For example, in 2016, he welcomed the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to Oman. They are now King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Haitham also leads the committee for "Oman 2040," which plans for Oman's future. He is also the honorary president of the Oman Association for the Disabled.

Becoming Sultan of Oman

Secretary Pompeo Meets with the Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq Al Said (49565463757)
Haitham bin Tariq (right) meets with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Muscat, February 2020.

After Sultan Qaboos passed away on January 10, 2020, Haitham was chosen as the new Sultan. The royal family and Sultan Qaboos's will named him as the successor. He took an oath in front of the Council of Oman on January 11, 2020. Oman state TV announced that the former Sultan's letter was opened, and Haitham's identity was revealed.

As Sultan, he also held several other important roles. These included prime minister, defense minister, finance minister, and foreign minister. However, on August 18, 2020, he appointed new people to some of these positions.

In his first public speech, Sultan Haitham promised to continue Oman's peaceful foreign policy. He also said he would work to improve Oman's economy. Unlike his predecessor, Sultan Haitham is married and has children.

Early in his rule, Oman joined important international agreements. These included the United Nations Convention Against Torture.

On January 12, 2021, Sultan Haitham created the role of Crown Prince. This means that the Sultan's eldest son will now automatically become the next ruler. This made his eldest son, Sayyid Theyazin, Oman's first Crown Prince. He also changed the Basic Law of Oman to give citizens more freedom of speech. He removed a law that allowed the state to monitor private conversations.

In April 2021, Oman started using a value added tax (VAT). This was later than some other countries in the region.

In May and June 2021, there were some protests in Oman. People were concerned about jobs and corruption. Some protesters were arrested but later released.

Sultan Haitham has visited several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Kingdom. These visits help Oman keep good relationships with its partners. His visit to Saudi Arabia was the first by an Omani royal in over ten years. In the United Kingdom, he met Queen Elizabeth II and received an honor. He also attended Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in London in September 2022.

In May 2023, he visited Tehran to discuss regional issues. This happened after Oman helped with a prisoner exchange.

In 2023, the government approved a large investment fund called the Oman Future Fund. This fund will help Oman's economy grow in different ways. A new development project, Sultan Haitham City, was also announced. This new city will be built outside Muscat for workers. A new Tourism Law was also put in place in 2023.

Titles and Honors

Styles of
Sultan Haitham bin Tariq
National emblem of Oman.svg
Reference style His Majesty
Spoken style Your Majesty

Titles and Styles

  • October 11, 1955 – January 10, 2020: His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq bin Taimur Al Said
  • January 11, 2020 – present: His Majesty The Sultan of Oman

Omani Honors

  •  Oman
    • Order of Al-Russoukh
      Member 1st Class of the Order of Al Russoukh
    • The Order of Al Said
      Member 1st Class of the Order of Al-Said
    • The Order of Oman (Civilian) - 1st Class
      Member 1st Class of the Order of Oman
    • Order of the Renaissance of Oman
      Member 1st Class of the Order of the Renaissance of Oman

International Honors

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