Sunday 16 / March / 2025
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman today organized a symposium themed "The Right to Food" to mark the Arab Human Rights Day, which falls on 16 March every year.
The symposium, held at the Diplomatic Club, was aimed to raise public awareness about the importance of advancing human rights in accordance with international and regional conventions. It also focused on the Sultanate of Oman’s efforts to enhance food security and related national policies.
The symposium was held under the auspices of Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs.
It was organised by Oman Human Rights Commission in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry.
The event highlighted national and regional legislation on ensuring the right to food security. It underlined the Sultanate of Oman's role in supporting humanitarian issues, notably the rights of Palestinian people.
In a speech at the symposium, Saleh Yahya Al Maskari, Head of the Global Affairs Department at the Foreign Ministry, said that the right to food is not only related to the availability of food, but also to the diversity, affordability and accessibility to food.
“The worsening of the food crisis in the Gaza Strip due to Israel’s closure of crossings and the occupation state’s prevention of the entry of humanitarian aid to more than two million Palestinians in Gaza constitutes a flagrant violation of international conventions and treaties, as well as international humanitarian law which underscores the need to provide basic livelihood needs to civilians without obstacles,” Al Maskeri added.
Al Maskari stressed that “Oman accords great attention to food security and food supply to all. It continues working to consolidate the food security system.”
For his part, Dr. Rashid Hamad Al Balushi, Chairman of Oman Human Rights Commission, said that the celebration of the event affirms Arab countries' commitment to the protection of human rights in line with regional and international conventions.
