There are no comments.
Oman's government will hike fuel prices, charges for public services and corporate taxes in the face of falling oil prices, the official ONA agency reported on Wednesday.
Non-Opec Oman is the latest Gulf state to announce austerity plans amid falling oil revenues that have led to big budget deficits.
"The council of ministers has approved a number of measures to face the consequences from the drop in oil prices and to ensure fiscal sustainability," ONA cited a cabinet statement as saying.
"These measures include reducing government spending and boosting non-oil revenues through raising taxes on corporate profits, increasing charges on some public services and amending fuel prices to be in line with international levels as from mid-January," the statement said.
The cabinet also approved a 2016-2020 development plan and the 2016 budget but provided no details.
Omani oil revenues have dropped by more than 60% as oil prices have plunged from about $100 a barrel to below $40 since mid-2014.
It has projected a budget deficit of $6.5bn for 2015, but the International Monetary Fund has warned the shortfall may be much bigger.
Oman, a member of the energy-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), is a relatively small producer of crude, pumping about 1mn barrels per day.
Saudi Arabia on Monday announced massive hikes to the prices of fuel products, electricity, water and other utilities to face a growing budget deficit as oil revenues have dropped.
The United Arab Emirates earlier liberalised fuel prices and Kuwait and Bahrain have lifted subsidies on diesel and kerosene. Kuwait also plans to end subsidies on petrol soon.
There are no comments.
Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.
Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education
Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions
The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged
Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.
The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.
Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.