KUWAIT, Dec 27 (KUNA) -- Here are the main events of the GCC countries through the year 2021, we continue with Sultanate of Oman:
Jan. 10: Central Bank of Oman announces the issuance of new bank note denominations of 20 Riyals, 10 Riyals, Five Riyals, ½ Riyal and 100 Baisa for circulation in the market.
Jan. 12: Oman's sultan Haitham Bin Tareq announces a constitutional shakeup that includes the appointment of a crown prince for the first time and new rules on how parliament will work.
Jan. 12: Oman's Sultan Haitham Bin Tareq appoints son Theyazan as Oman's first Crown Prince.
Jan. 18 : Oman announces that it would be closing its land border for at least a week.
Jan 24: Oman extends land border closure for one more week.
March 4: Oman announces that commercial activities will be suspended between 8:00 p.m.-5:00 a.m. until March 20.
March 9: Sultan Haitham Bin Tareq approved incentives aimed at economic diversification and will facilitate achievement of Oman Vision 2040.
April 12: Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) welcomed Oman and Nigeria as founding members, alongside the first five founding members.
April 16: VAT law came into force in Oman.
April 21: Oman suspended inbound flights from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh indefinitely due to the spread of the coronavirus in those countries.
May 2: Oman announced continuation of full lockdown of businesses and partial curfew for citizens.
June 9: The Ministry of Finance announced that it had successfully completed the issuance of sharia-compliant Islamic instruments known as sukuk worth USD 1.75 billion with a maturity period of up to nine years.
June 20: Omani authorities have announced the introduction of a night curfew as part of the response to the spread of COVID-19.
July 7: Sultan Haitham bin Tareq signed two decrees regarding the VTA and selected tax agreement with GCC countries.
Aug 23: Oman's Civil Aviation Authority announces the termination of the list of countries from which arrivals are prohibited from entering The Sultanate's territory from early September.
Oct 2: The government gave public and private sectors' employees a two-day leave due to tropical storm Shahin. (end) ed