UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised Oman's Sultan Qaboos, who passed away three weeks ago. He added that under his watch the Sultanate has remained "largely immune" from regional tension.
Guterres spoke on Friday during a tribute to the late Sultan at the UN General Assembly. General Assembly president, representatives of several regional groups at the UN and Oman's ambassador to the organization were among the speakers.
"Sultan Qaboos led Oman to join the United Nations, the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
With leadership and commitment, he worked to shape Oman as an active, responsible member of the international family," said the UN chief.
"Under his watch, Oman also remained largely immune from the tensions of the region," he added.
The Sultan was well regarded for spreading messages of peace, understanding and coexistence far beyond his country's borders, Guterres said.
Guterres also noted that Oman has consistently played a critical role in ensuring communication among disputing parties.
According to the UN chief, the Sultan's vision for Oman saw levels of education for women and men rise exponentially — with a manifold increase in schools, hospitals and roads.
Guterres extended his best wishes to Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, who has taken over the leadership of Oman. He also said he has every hope that Oman's contributions to regional and international diplomacy will continue.
