Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, the Arab world's longest-ruling monarch known for promoting peace, has died, according to an announcement by state media. He took power in a bloodless coup that sent his father, Sa’id ibn Taymur, into exile.
His appointment comes as something of a surprise to Omanis, who had widely assumed that the name of the 65-year-old deputy prime minister, Asad bin Tariq al-Said, was in the sultan’s envelope. The Middle East’s longest-ruling king, Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, has died aged 79.The sultan overthrew his father in a bloodless coup with British support in 1970 and led Oman on a modernising path while carefully balancing its diplomacy between Iran and the US.Under his father, Said bin Taimur, slavery was legal, no-one could go abroad and music was banned. And overhanging all of that will be the sense that he’s not Qaboos because those are impossible shoes to fill.’Many Omanis will see Sultan Qaboos’ legacy in the schools, hospitals and roads he built in the wake of his father’s rule.Boris to reveal roadmap to 'normality' for whole UK with no second lockdownWhy you need to be thinking about training for your career NOWBoris Johnson joins LinkedIn a week after denying he could step down as PMNHS staff smear themselves in fake blood as they call for 15% pay riseGrandad, 84, dies after being beaten and slashed with mirror in his gardenTeenage boys ‘tortured, raped and buried alive in cemetery’British schoolgirl Nora Quoirin, 15, ‘survived six days before dying of starvation’Moment girl, 4, is lured into stranger’s car when mother’s back is turnedGirl, 3, is launched 100ft into the air after getting trapped in a kite He was appointed in 2013 to chair Oman’s development committee and is well-versed in the politics of the royal court. Reports say Haitham bin Tariq al-Said will replace Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who had no children Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Arab world’s longest-serving ruler and with a reputation for quiet diplomacy, has His cousin, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, will be sworn in as the new sultan, ending decades of speculation over who would succeed the popular ruler.Boris Johnson said he was “deeply saddened” by Qaboos’s death, describing him as “an exceptionally wise and respected leader who will be missed enormously”.He said: “He will be remembered for his devotion to the development of “The UK is a proud friend and enduring partner of Oman, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Omani people.”The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, was among others paying tribute, describing the sultan’s 50-year rule as “widely respected” and saying that he had worked hard to “promote peace and stability in Oman and the wider region”.A former British protectorate in the Arabian Peninsula, Qaboos had no children and, following protocol, had not publicly appointed a successor. Oman’s King ‘Sultan Qaboos’ died By Khaama Press / in Middle East / on Saturday, 11 Jan 2020 08:00 AM / 0 Comment / According to Oman’s state media, Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, a long-ruling king of Oman has died at the age of 79 on Friday evening. The Middle East’s longest-ruling king, Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, has died aged 79. “We will continue to assist in resolving disputes peacefully,” he said. Qaboos acceded to the throne on 23 July 1970 following a successful coup against his father, with the aim of ending the country's isolation and using its oil revenue for modernization and development. Oman state news agency ONA said Qaboos died after “a wise and triumphant march rich with generosity that embraced Oman and extended to the Arab, Muslim and entire world and achieved a balanced policy that the whole world respected.”