The overall performance of the 2018 Budget turned higher compared to the remaining three years (2015-2017), reflecting better oil charges, a growth in non-hydrocarbon sales, and reduced spending. However, the oil marketplace remains uncertain, with an imbalance between delivering and calling for and persevering fluctuation in oil expenses.

This requires preventive measures in the 2019 Budget, deeper financial consolidations, and enhancing non-oil sales in addition to advancing strategic infrastructure initiatives to improve the boom and promote similar economic diversification.

The 2019 Budget framework targets accomplishing a hard and fast of goals and priorities, considerable fiscal sustainability which will permit the countrywide economic system to achieve financial growth targets, a diversified economic system, and targeted quotes of home and foreign investments. In addition, helps the personal zone to play a greater position inside the improved method and create extra jobs.

Highlights of the initial economic outcomes for FY 2018 and predominant capabilities of the 2019 Budget are summarised as follows:

First: Economic Developments:

1Global Economy: According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the worldwide increase rate is projected to rise to 3.7% in 2018 and 2019. However, the worldwide increase remains surrounded by challenges, mainly exchange tensions among principal economies, uncertainty regarding economic policy in superior international locations, an excessive level of world indebtedness, and mounting geopolitical dangers.

Oil prices have skilled first-rate volatility throughout 2018, reaching as excessive as US 89/b in September 2018 but falling to almost US $ 50/b in December 2018.

This is due to several elements, including marketplace fundamentals (call for & deliver) and geopolitical dangers. According to international institutions, oil charges are projected to be between US$ 60-sixty five/bin 2019. Despite the effective outlook for oil expenses, preventive measures are vital to mitigate any potential decline in oil expenses.

2 National Economy

Despite the demanding situations faced by the national economic system in the first three years of the Ninth Five-Year Plan, the countrywide economy registered a tremendous increase in fees, which is expected to range between 2-3% by using the give up of the plan. According to National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the gross home product (GDP) continues to grow at modern-day fees, attaining 15.1% over the first half of 2018 compared to the identical duration 2017.

The boom was supported by a crash in hydrocarbon activities, considerably fuel sports, which grew by 23.2%. In addition, non-hydrocarbon marks registered an increase by 5.1% over the same period, largely due to progressed sports in the manufacturing quarter and mining industry. The contribution of non-hydrocarbon sports at some stage in the first half of 2018 reached sixty-three % of GDP at current costs. The GDP growth is predicted to improve over 2019 to a minimum of 3p. Cin actual phrases, supported via the boom of oil and non-hydrocarbon sports.

The IMF initiatives the countrywide economy will resume developing for 2018 to three at constant costs. It has also expected that Oman will file the fastest boom price for the various GCC nations in 2019.

Furthermore, The World Bank anticipated that the countrywide financial system would continue to enhance at some stage in 2018 and 2019 due to numerous elements, considering the healing of the hydrocarbon region and the growing manufacturing of the Khazzan gas area. It has additionally projected that the GDP of Oman will remain advanced.

The domestic inflation charge is expected to average between 2% and 3% in 2018 and 2019, respectively. For the banking area, the financial statements display a high solvency ratio in mild of right increase quotes of GDP and fiscal consolidation measures. This is in tandem with the Central Bank of Oman’s efforts to pursue sound controlling and supervisory coverage and adopt a monetary stimulus policy, which goes consistent with the financial range that responds to the developments in US dollar hobby price – the stabilizing forex for the Omani Rial – efficaciously. In light of these beneficial economic surroundings, the financial and economic balance is maintained, supporting the potentialities for monetary increase and diversification and beautifying domestic and foreign investment.

Second: Preliminary consequences of 2018 Budget:

1 Public Revenue:

The initial economic effects for FY 2018 areas comply with the following:

The non-hydrocarbon sales goal has not been met, mainly because of the delay in implementing some approved measures geared toward energizing non-hydrocarbon revenue.

2 Public Spending:

According to the initial outcomes, basic public spending totaled OMR thirteen.2 billion in 2018 compared to a budgeted figure of 12.5 billion, a 6% increase. This is mainly attributed to the upward thrust in funding spending over improvement projects, improved expenditures of a few authorities units to satisfy important and urgent wishes, and excessive subsidy fees of the strength zone. In addition, the extreme value of public debt servicing.

3: Budget Objectives:

The State’s General Budget seeks to obtain a hard and fast of financial and social development targets, distinguished amongst the following:

1 Fiscal Sustainability and Enhance the ng Spending Efficiency:

Fiscal sustainability and balancing revenue and expenditure are the most critical objectives of the 2019 Budget. Therefore, the income and spending of the 2019 Budget have been estimated, contemplating the following:

Prioritizing spending in keeping with the available monetary sources and in a way that guarantees the success of economic and social dreams.

Keeping the deficit inside a sustainable stage and reducing the g public debt. Improving government revenues and enhancing the contribution of non-oil sales to usual government revenue in a way that results in reduced dependency on the oil regions. Bringing down the breakeven factor/oil price over the approaching years.

2 Continue to Stimulate the National Economy

The budget is the primary driving force of the countrywide financial system. This is mediated through the significance of the funding for the implementation of five-12 five-monthnd inclusive and sustainable improvement with the aid of the following:

Completion of infrastructure initiatives that will assist and incentivize monetary growth. Continue the regulations on economic diversification by enhancing private area participation. Maintain adequate public funding in productive sectors that help in booming employment rates and improve social development. Achieve monetary growth of 2 to a few percentages, on common, at consistent charges over the Ninth Five-Year Plan. Control inflation rate, which will remain in line with-capita income level. Outsource some government services and enhance public-private partnerships (PPP).

Support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by allocating some of the authority’s tasks to SMEs. In addition to retaining presenting loans to the SMEs through the Al Raffd Fund and Oman Development Bank. Modernization of rules and laws associated with commercial enterprise environment and domestic and overseas investments.

Give unique interest to allocations for the renovation of belongings, centers, and infrastructure to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the development projects that are already carried out.

Three Maintaining the level of Basic Services: The authorities offer special emphasis on imparting simple social services for the citizens. Therefore, the price range seeks to keep the achievements already performed through the subsequent: