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Royal Decree

No. 40/ 2014 Issuing the System of

The National Centre for Statistics and Information

We, Qaboos Bin Said, Sultan of Oman

After perusal of the Basic Law of the State, promulgated by the Royal Decree No. 101/96,

And the Royal Decree No. 30/2012 for establishing the Supreme Council for Planning and issuing its system,

And the Royal Decree No. 31/2012 for establishing the National Centre for Statistics and Information,

And in pursuance of the public interest

Have decreed as follows

Article One

Applies the attached system on the National Centre for Statistics and Information.

Article Two

The Chairman of the National Centre for Statistics and Information shall issue the necessary decisions and bylaws to implement the provisions of the attached system. Till they are published, the Centre will be governed by the laws and systems applied onto the state's administrative units, unless otherwise stated in the attached system and subject that they do not contradict with its provisions.

Article Three

Cancels all that contravenes with this decree and the attached system or contradicts with their provisions.

Article Four

The Decree comes into force from its date of issue.

Issued on: 15 Shawwal, 1435 H.,

Corresponding to: 12 August, 2014.

Qaboos Bin Said

Sultan of Oman

The system of the National Centre for Statistics and Information.

Article (1)

In the application of this system, the meanings of the following words and phrases are set against each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:

The Centre: the National Centre for Statistics and Information.

The Board: The Centre's board of directors.

The Chairman: The Chairman of the Board.

The C.E.O.: The Centre's Chief Executive Officer.

Article (2)

The centre aims at meeting the state's needs and requirements of official statistics and documented information to be used in setting policies and programmes on a national, regional and international level in the light of the accelerating economic and social changes; it also aims at meeting the requirements of all entities in obtaining information pertaining to the fields of developments.

Article (3)

The Centre, in order to achieve its objectives has the necessary powers to exercise its competences, in particular the following:

1. Providing technical supervision over the management and organisation of statistical and informational work in The Sultanate.
2. The proposal and implementation of statistical and informational strategy.
3. The coordination with the State agencies in order to enable the implementation of its assigned national strategy in the field of statistics and information.
4. The collection and storage the official statistics generated by the centre and other government agencies, in addition to the information prepared by the private sector with the aim of analysing and publishing it.
5. The collection and preservation of the data sources used in the official statistics to be used in the generation of additional statistics whenever the need arises.
6. Providing technical assistance to other government agencies in the field of statistics and information.
7. Ensuring there is harmony between the statistical and informational work and the national development objectives in coordination with the competent authorities.
8. Providing the necessary training to raise capabilities of workers in the field of statistics and information in the centre and in other government agencies.
9. The utilisation of the administrative records of other government agencies for statistical purposes and information whenever the need arises.
10.  The conduction of various national censuses in coordination with the competent authorities.
11.  The implementation of annual work programmes to conduct statistical surveys in the Sultanate. The modernisation, development and setting of plans and survey's technical planning to be conducted according to the approved schedule.
12.  The development of action programmes aimed at the production of official statistics.
13.  The development of national standards for the production of official statistics in the Sultanate according to international recommendations and best practices.
14.   The execution of programmes for the evaluation and observation of the national statistics generated by the competent authorities.
15.  The creation and publishing of social, economic, environmental and cultural indicators.
16.  The publishing and making the information and the official national statistics available on both the national and international levels.
17.  The establishment and management of an integrated system of social and economic information on the national level to meet the various development requirements, and to facilitate the social and economic follow-up process.
18.  The establishment of indicators in order to measure the development performance in the Sultanate.
19.  The establishment of integrated observatories for social and economic information.
20.  The establishment of a national statistical and informational system in support of the decision-making process.
21.  The encouragement and support of studies and research and statistical information, and working on raising awareness of statistics and information.
22.  The establishment of a national geographic information framework that includes an integrated geographic information system comprising databases, maps and training programs necessary for the qualification of national cadres working in this field.
23.  Representing the Sultanate in regional and international conferences and meetings in the areas pertaining to the Centre's field of work.
     
     
    Article (4)
    The Board will be in charge of managing the Centre as well as organising and conducting its affairs, and will have all the necessary powers to exercise its competences and achieve its objectives set forth in this system, in particular the following:

1. The formulation of the Centre's general policies and the follow-up of their execution.
2. The adoption of the Centre's organisational structure and administrative divisions, and the identification of their competences subsequent to coordination with the concerned authorities.
3. The adoption of the conduction of various national censuses.
4. The proposal of amendments to the laws pertaining to statistics and information.
5. The approval of the conclusion of agreements and memoranda of understanding relevant to statistics and information.
6. The approval of the Centre's annual budget and submitting it to the Supreme Council for Planning for adoption.
7. The approval of the Centre's final accounts and submitting them to the Supreme Council for Planning for adoption.
8. The preparation of an annual report on the Centre's activities and submitting it to the Supreme Council for Planning.
9. Determining the fees charged by the Centre for the services rendered subsequent to coordination with the Ministry of Finance.
10.  The appointment of an accounting auditor licenced to practice the profession of accounting and auditing in order to audit the Centre's accounts, and determine his fees.
11.  The establishment of offices and branches of the Centre in the governorates of the Sultanate.
12.  Any other terms of reference issued by a decision of the Supreme Council for Planning.
     
    Article (5)

The Board shall appoint a deputy from among its members to replace the Chairman during his absence or whenever an obstacle prevents him from exercising his competences.

Article (6)

The Board shall meet at the invitation of Chairman or his deputy at least twice a year; and that is in order to view the topics listed in its agenda, and calling a Board session is permissible whenever the need arises. The meeting shall not be valid unless attended by a majority of the Board members, provided that the Chairman or his deputy are among the attendees and resolutions are passed by a majority of present members' votes; at parity the side of the Chairman of the meeting is overbalanced. The Board can seek assistance of whomever it considers as experienced and competent to attend its meetings without having a valid vote.

Article (7)

The Centre shall have a special class C.E.O. to be appointed by means of a Royal Decree.

Article (8)

The C.E.O. shall represent the Centre before the judiciary and in links to others.

Article (9)

The C.E.O. will have all the powers assigned to the head of unit in accordance with the laws applicable at the government's administrative body, in particular the following:

1. The management of the Centre and the supervision of its staff; the development and follow-up of its work system.
2. The preparation of the Centre's organisational structure and submitting it to the Board for adoption.
3. The preparation of the Centre's plans and work programmes and submitting them to the Board for adoption.
4. The preparation of the annual budget and the final account drafts, and transmitting them to the Board for approval.
5. The preparation of draft conventions and memorandums of understanding, and submitting them to the Board.
6. Any other competences assigned by the Board.
    
   Article (10)
   The Centre shall have an independent annual budget to be transmitted to the Ministry of Finance subsequent to its adoption by the Board. The Centre's fiscal year commences on the first day of the month of January and ends on the thirty first of the month of December of each year; the first fiscal year commences on the date of application of this system and ends on the thirty first of the month of December of the same year.
    
    
   Article (11)
   The Centre's funds are to be deposited in a special account in one of the licenced banks in the Sultanate; the Board shall determine the rules and procedures for the exchange of these funds.
    
   Article (12)
   The Centre's resources are composed of:

1. The funds allocated to the Centre in the State's general budget.
2. The grants, subsidies and donations that are accepted by the Board and approved by the Supreme Council for Planning.
3. The proceeds received by the Centre in return to the Centre's offered services.
4. Any other income approved by the Board, and approved by the Supreme Council for Planning.
    
   Article (13)
   The Center funds are considered as public funds, and enjoy the benefits and rights of the public treasury and its privileges over the creditors funds; the Centre is to protect these funds by means and in accordance with the procedures set forth in the system of tax collection, fees and other amounts due to State administrative units as promulgated by The Royal Decree No. 32/94.
    
   Article (14)
   Without prejudice to the provisions of the Common Customs Law of the States of The Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf, the Centre is exempted of all taxes and fees.
    
   Article (15)
   The Pensions and post-service Benefits law for the Omani government employees, promulgated by the Royal Decree No. 26/86 applies to the Centre's staff.