BBC News reported on 11 January 2020 that
Sultan Qaboos had died at the age of 79; he had been Oman"s ruler since 1970. His cousin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said has been sworn in as his successor.
Michael Bosch, persecution analyst at World Watch Research (WWR), explains how the smooth succession took place: "Qaboos was childless and had not designated an official successor. Hence, there were fears that his death could have led to a period of instability or even civil war, as many Omani tribes were loyal to him personally rather than to the State of Oman. However, Qaboos had left a sealed letter with his choice of successor in case the royal family council was not able to appoint a successor within three days. Instead of having three days of uncertainty and possibly creating friction within the royal family and the wider Omani society, the council decided to immediately open the sealed letter, which carried the name of the new sultan. The fact that Haitham bin Tariq Al Said is the chosen successor of Qaboos will enhance his legitimacy within Oman."
Michael Bosch continues: "In a region full of unrest, it is important that Oman remains stable. It goes without saying that a peaceful transition is best for the Christian expatriates residing in the Islamic country. It is unlikely that the new sultan will bring in any changes for the expatriate churches, since Oman's current tolerance towards other religions has boosted their international image. Most probably, the situation for Oman's tiny community of converts from Islam to Christianity will also stay the same - not being officially persecuted by the government but under heavy family and societal pressure to recant their faith."
