Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, who had been ill for some time, died on Saturday at the age of 79.

Oman is mourning the death of a man who transformed the nation.

Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, who had been ill for some time, died on Saturday at the age of 79.

Over the course of 50 years, he turned a poor country on the Arabian Peninsula into a modern state, which stayed diplomatically neutral in a region divided by conflict.

Sultan Qaboos's successor was sworn in just a few hours after the death was announced.

How will Haitham bin Tariq build on his cousin's legacy?

Presenter: Martine Dennis

Guests:

Houchang Hassan-Yari - Professor of international relations and security issues at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman

Luciano Zaccara - Assistant professor of Gulf politics at Qatar University's Gulf Studies Center

Guy Burton - Adjunct professor of international affairs in Vesalius College

Source: Al Jazeera News