Oman has taken a major step forward in its drive to create a digital society with the first Electronic Transaction Law (ETL) issued through a decree by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

The decree said the necessary regulations and decisions for the law, which will come into effect three months after its publication in the Government Gazette, would be issued by the Minister of Commerce and Industry.

The new legislation marks the beginning of a “new era for Oman, where a truly e-enabled society was emerging in the realisation of the digital society”, said secretary-general of the National Economy Ministry Mohammed bin Nasser al Khusaibi.

He added that it was a major milestone in the implementation of the national IT strategy by the Information Technology Authority (ITA) of which he is the chairman.