Muscat: On Sunday, the State Council and the Shura Council conducted their second combined meeting as part of the 8th term of the Council of Oman.
The session was led by Sheikh Abdulmalik Abdullah Al Khalili, Chairman of the State Council, and included Khalid Hilal Al Maawali, Chairman of the Shura Council.
In his opening comments, the Chairman of the State Council said that hosting the joint session demonstrates continuing collaboration and coordination between the two councils to achieve unified positions on disputed articles in draft legislation submitted by the government, in compliance with Article 49 of the Council of Oman Law.
He stated that both chambers had previously debated five draught legislation referred by the government, including the draught statutes on combating human trafficking, regulating communications and information technology, real estate regulation, revenue collection, and the rights of persons with disabilities.
Mohammed Said Al Hajri, chairman of the State Council's Social and Cultural Committee, stated that the draught law on the rights of people with impairments aims to offer increased protection, guarantees, rights, and possibilities for this sector of society.
He said in a statement that joint committees examined areas of dispute between the two councils and offered compromise remedies, and that during their review process, the primary and subcommittees talked with all relevant stakeholders, including civil society groups that represent people with disabilities. The planned compromises seek to increase empowerment, protection, and opportunity for people with impairments.
Furthermore, Salim Sultan Al Ruzaiqi, Deputy Chairman of the State Council's Technology and Innovation Committee, stated that the two councils agreed on 46 articles of the draft communications and information technology law, with nine disputed articles to be addressed during the joint session.
In a statement, he said that this draft bill provides a framework for two important industries and harmonizes rules governing contemporary technology, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, resulting in unified oversight of both sectors.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ahmed Ali Al Saadi, Chairman of the Shura Council's Legislative and Legal Committee, said that the draft anti-human trafficking law revises and expands current legislation, clearly defining the crime of human trafficking and outlining methods to combat it.
He observed that the draught legislation under consideration keeps up with regional and international events, includes six chapters with 30 articles—including definitions and provisions (Chapter 1), duties of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (Chapter 2), and international collaboration between Oman and relevant organizations (Chapter 3).
Dr. Hamoud Ahmed Al Yahyai, chairman of the Shura Council's Services and Public Utilities Committee, noted that the proposed real estate regulation statute comes at a period of rapid real estate development in Oman, which needs such legislation to encourage investment. It will override any ministerial judgments and rules now in effect by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning in this sector.
