Haitham bin Tariq Facts for Kids

In this article, the family name is Al Said.

Quick facts for kids

Haitham bin Tariq Al Said

هَيْثَم بْن طَارِق آل سَعِيد

Haitham in 2024

Sultan of Oman

Reign

11 January 2020 – present

Predecessor

Qaboos bin Said

Heir apparent

Theyazin bin Haitham

Prime Minister and
Minister of Defence

Incumbent

Assumed office
11 January 2020

Deputy

Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said
Asa'ad bin Tariq Al Said
Shihab bin Tariq Al Said

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

11 October 1955 (age 69)
Muscat, Muscat and Oman

Spouse

Ahad bint Abdullah bin Hamad Al Busaidi

(m. 1989)

Issue

Theyazin bin Haitham
Bilarab bin Haitham
Thuraya bint Haitham
Omaima bint Haitham

Full name
Haitham bin Tariq bin Taimur bin Faisal bin Turki bin Said Al Said

House

Al Bu Sa'id

Father

Tariq bin Taimur Al Said

Mother

Shawana bint Hamud Al Busaidi

Religion

Ibadi Islam

Haitham bin Tariq Al Said (born October 11, 1955) is the Sultan and Prime Minister of Oman. A sultan is a king or ruler in a Muslim country. He became the leader of Oman in January 2020.

His cousin, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, chose him to be the next sultan before he died. Before becoming the sultan, Haitham worked for many years in the Omani government. He was the Minister of Heritage and Culture.

Early Life and Education
Family Life
Career in Government
Becoming the Sultan of Oman
- Important Changes as Sultan
- Foreign Relations
Titles and Honours
- Titles
- Honours from Other Countries
See also

Early Life and Education

Haitham bin Tariq was born in Muscat, the capital city of Oman. His father was Tariq bin Taimur, and his mother was Shawana bint Hamud Al Busaidi. He has several brothers and sisters. Two of his brothers, Asa'ad and Shihab, also have important jobs in the government as Deputy Prime Ministers.

He went to primary school in Muscat. Later, he attended Brummana High School in Lebanon. For college, he went to the famous Oxford University in England. He graduated in 1979 from a special program for diplomats.

Family Life

Sultan Haitham is married to Ahad bint Abdullah. Together, they have four children: two sons and two daughters.

Theyazin bin Haitham: He is the oldest son and the Crown Prince. This means he is next in line to become the sultan.
Bilarab bin Haitham
Thuraya bint Haitham
Omaima bint Haitham

Unlike his cousin Sultan Qaboos, who had no children, Sultan Haitham has a direct heir to continue leading the country.

Career in Government

Haitham has a long history of working for his country. He loves sports and was the first president of the Oman Football Association in the 1980s.

He then worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which handles Oman's relationships with other countries. He held important roles there from 1986 to 2002. In 2002, he became the Minister of Heritage and Culture. In this job, he helped protect and share Oman's history and traditions.

He often represented Oman on official trips. In 2016, he welcomed Prince Charles and his wife Camilla (who later became King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom) to Oman.

Becoming the Sultan of Oman

When Sultan Qaboos died on January 10, 2020, the royal family had to choose a new leader. Sultan Qaboos had written his choice in a secret letter. The family opened the letter, and it named Haitham as the next sultan.

The very next day, on January 11, 2020, Haitham officially became the Sultan of Oman. In his first speech, he promised to continue Sultan Qaboos's peaceful policies. He also said he would work to make Oman's economy stronger.

Important Changes as Sultan

Sultan Haitham has made several important changes since taking power.

Creating a Crown Prince

In 2021, he created the new title of Crown Prince. He declared that the sultan's oldest son would automatically become the next ruler. This made his son, Theyazin, the first-ever Crown Prince of Oman. This change makes it clear who will lead the country in the future.

New Laws and Freedoms

He also updated Oman's basic laws. The new laws give citizens more freedom to share their opinions. They also protect people's privacy by making it illegal for the government to listen to private phone calls or read private mail without a good reason.

Economic Plans

Sultan Haitham has focused on improving Oman's economy. His government introduced a value added tax (VAT) in 2021 to help raise money for the country. In 2025, Oman also introduced a personal income tax for the highest earners. This helps the country rely less on money from oil and gas.

He also started a large investment fund called the Oman Future Fund. This fund will help support new businesses and projects, like the new Sultan Haitham City development. These efforts have helped improve Oman's financial situation.

Foreign Relations

Sultan Haitham has traveled to other countries to maintain good relationships. He has visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Kingdom. During his visit to the U.K., he met Queen Elizabeth II. After she died in 2022, he visited King Charles III to offer his sympathy.

Oman is known for helping other countries solve disagreements peacefully. In May 2023, Sultan Haitham visited Iran to discuss regional security. In 2025, Oman helped arrange a ceasefire between the United States and Houthi forces in Yemen.