SULTAN QABOOS REPLACES LABOR MINISTER AND MUSCAT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000647 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV ELAB SMIG KTIP MU SUBJECT: SULTAN QABOOS REPLACES LABOR MINISTER AND MUSCAT MUNICIPALITY CHIEF REF: A. MUSCAT 625 ¶B. 07 MUSCAT 232 ¶C. 06 MUSCAT 518 Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b, d) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) In a surprise move to many, Sultan Qaboos removed Oman's Minister of Manpower in a September 6 royal decree and replaced him with a government official who, although reportedly very competent, has little direct experience in labor issues. The reason for the Minister's ouster is unknown, although foreign diplomats in Muscat speculate it was in response to Oman's Tier 3 ranking in the Department's 2008 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. On the same date, the Sultan issued another royal decree replacing the Chairman of the Muscat Municipality (who held minister rank) with the U.S.-educated Under Secretary for Heritage at the Ministry of Heritage and Culture. Unlike the Manpower Minister, who was given no other position or title, the outgoing municipal head reportedly remains in the Sultan's good graces and was named as a Secretary General at the Diwan of Royal Court. End Summary. ¶2. (U) On September 6, Sultan Qaboos issued a royal decree appointing Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasr bin Abdullah al-Bakri as Oman's new Minister of Manpower. Al-Bakri replaced former Manpower Minister Juma bin Ali bin Juma, who was not named to any other government position. In a separate royal decree, Sultan bin Hamdun bin Saif al-Harthy, an Under Secretary at the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, was appointed as the new Chairman of the Muscat Municipality, replacing Abdullah bin Abbas bin Ahmad, who concurrently became a Secretary-General at the Diwan of Royal Court. Al-Harthy will head the Muscat Municipality with the rank of Under Secretary, while Abbas will retain ministerial rank. -------------- RISING STARS? -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Al-Bakri is a non-controversial figure and a sheikh of one of Oman's less prominent tribes. Prior to his appointment as minister, he was the Under Secretary for Water Resources at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources. He gained some local media attention this year for his role in orchestrating Oman's successful "Water and Sustainable Development" pavilion at the Zaragoza International Exposition 2008 in Spain. He has no known direct experience related to the labor issues he will oversee in his new post. ¶4. (SBU) The new Chairman of the Muscat Municipality is a much more known quantity to post. Al-Harthy is a dynamic, American-educated (Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Arizona) leader with an informal style. He is lively, articulate and cultured with a wide range of interests. He has spoken in the past of the deep influence that American culture has had on his life and thinking (ref C). Having previously served on the Tender Board (2002-2006) and as Director of Town Planning and Survey at the former Ministry of Housing, Electricity and Water, he brings strong and varied credentials to his new position, which will serve him well in managing Muscat's many public infrastructure and construction projects. -------------- A VERY HARD LANDING -------------- ¶5. (C) While there were rumblings that all was not right between Minister Juma and some of his cabinet colleagues and palace officials, the ouster of the Minister of Manpower came as a surprise to most observers. Adding to the shock value of Juma's forced departure is the fact that he was not simultaneously named to some other position, such as a member of the Majlis al-Dawla (the appointed upper house of Oman's bicameral advisory body),which is often used to provide a soft landing for former ministers. No other minister removed from office in the recent past has been left high and dry like Juma. ¶6. (C) Speculation on the reasons behind Juma's ouster centers around a bitter feud with the Minister of Transport & Communications, who allegedly campaigned to bring Juma down, and improper dealings over land and a service station that Juma owned near Muscat's airport. (Note: Rumors involving government ministers and sweetheart land deals are rife in Oman. Juma did not have a general reputation for being MUSCAT 00000647 002 OF 002 corrupt. End Note.) In some circles, including the diplomatic cocktail circuit, Juma's downfall is widely attributed to the local uproar over Oman's placement on Tier 3 of the Department's 2008 TIP Report. -------------- A DE FACTO PROMOTION -------------- ¶7. (C) Unlike Juma, Abdullah Abbas, Oman's fourth Shi'a minister (ref B),reportedly remains in the Sultan's favor. Some contacts point to Abbas's title as "Secretary General" at the Diwan, rather than the more numerous and less prestigious title of "Advisor," as proof that he continues to be held in high esteem by the Sultan. (Note: The royal decree transferring Abbas to the Diwan of Royal Court specified that he keep his ministerial rank and "current financial allocations." End Note.) As there is already a Secretary-General of the Diwan, it is unknown what Abbas's duties at the palace will be. Some speculate that given his experience with Muscat's infrastructure and construction projects, the Sultan may charge Abbas with overseeing building projects financed by the Diwan, such as the Royal Opera House, botanical gardens, and new national museum. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) Juma's departure from the Ministry of Manpower is a negative development for post given the strong working relationship between him and the Embassy on labor and TIP issues (ref A). More than most Omani officials, he appeared to increasingly grasp the importance and complexities surrounding TIP and how his ministry could act to help combat it. We will never know the true motivations for his ouster as they lie only with the Sultan, but cannot rule out that at least some of the royal displeasure with Oman's TIP ranking may have been targeted at Juma. Post will actively engage with the new Minister of Manpower to maintain and strengthen cooperation on TIP issues. End Comment. GRAPPO