الدور العماني في تعزيز الأخلاق بين التنظير والتطبيق

الدورُ العُماني في تعزيز الأخلاق بين التنظير والتطبيق

Introduction

Many factors could be argued as having shaped Oman's tradition of quiet، constructive، behind-the-scenes، ethically driven diplomacy: its pluralistic yet distinctive identity، its historic legacy، its strategic geopolitical location، the tolerant nature of the Ibadi school of Islam. But the single most important factor was arguably Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said، who not only wove all these traits together but perfectly embodied them throughout his reign. His successor، Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said، has continued this tradition.

With some neighbours that are militarily and economically more powerful، plus the Sultanate's coveted geostrategic location that has historically attracted outside interest، Oman's foreign policy could have been expected to be chiefly pragmatic، so as to accommodate the interests of those mightier entities while trying to avoid overly compromising its own interests. But it has been much more than that: Oman's foreign policy has managed to be highly independent، not afraid to stand alone. For more than half a century، it has struck a fine balance between safeguarding its interests and not unduly antagonising any other parties، while at the same time remaining in good terms with everyone.

This paper examines how Oman has mastered this balancing act، which could be aptly described as “ethical pragmatism”. The short answer: by infusing its foreign policy with a healthy dose of ethical considerations. The long answer: by weaving all threads of its cultural heritage together under enlightened leadership to craft a foreign policy so distinctive in its part of the world that it has earned Oman the nickname "the Switzerland of the Middle East".

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