The two countries have recently signed 13 agreements related to the oil sector, tourism, renewable energy and green hydrogen

Saudi Arabia and Oman agree to further strengthen bilateral partnership

photo_camera PHOTO/FILE - Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan

Saudi Arabia and Oman are keen to boost and strengthen bilateral cooperation. To this end, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan met with his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, in Muscat.

During the meeting, the two Arab nations agreed to further develop strategic relations in accordance with the Omani-Saudi Coordination Council, a partnership which, in Bin Farhan's words, "represents an important mechanism to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries, especially in the areas of investment and trade exchange". The council was founded in 2021, during the visit to Saudi Arabia of the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq.

This trip, the first abroad since the Omani leader ascended to the throne in January 2020, served to boost ties between the two nations. The Omani-Saudi Coordination Council aims to develop a common strategy to deepen and maintain bilateral relations, as well as to raise the level of cooperation between Riyadh and Muscat in different fields, such as political, economic, military or security through agreements and joint projects. During the meeting between Bin Farhan and Al Busaidi, the two ministers agreed to hold the first meeting of the council in 2023.

The head of Saudi diplomacy highlighted several "magaprojects" that will enhance the economy and integration between Saudi Arabia and Oman. However, Bin Farhan assured that the current bilateral ties are already "strong and solid", as they are being strengthened in several areas, such as investment, which has seen strong development since the opening of the border crossing between the two neighbouring countries.

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In December 2021, Riyadh and Muscat announced the opening of the first land crossing between the two nations, a milestone that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said at the time would contribute to the "smooth movement of the citizens of the two countries and the integration of supply chains".

During the meeting in the Omani capital - described by Bin Farhan as "fruitful" - the two ministers discussed various "areas and opportunities for cooperation and partnership between the two brotherly countries at the public and private levels".

The meeting between the two foreign ministers comes a week after the Saudi-Omani Investment Forum was held in Riyadh, which concluded with the signing of 13 agreements related to the oil sector, tourism, renewable energy, green hydrogen, logistics, transport and fisheries.

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In addition, last year, Mohammed bin Salman pushed the Public Investment Fund to establish the 'Saudi-Omani Investment Company' with a $5 billion fund to take advantage of investment opportunities in different sectors.

Analysts quoted by Al Arab point out that the development of bilateral cooperation responds to the Sultan of Oman's foreign policy of greater openness towards the Gulf region, including Iran. On the other hand, experts say that the partnership between Saudi Arabia and Oman will be beneficial not only for the two countries, but also for the region, as Muscat plays a key role in several issues related to Riyadh, such as the conflict in Yemen.

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