Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman travelled to Saudi Arabia on Sunday for a two-day official visit to the Kingdom at the invitation of King Salman for wide-ranging talks. The milestone visit is the first by the Sultan since he took over at the helm of Oman in 2020.
“The visit comes within the framework of strengthening the historical and fraternal relations between the leaderships of the two countries,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said. “It also aims to expand the prospects of joint cooperation and ways to develop them in various fields for the interest and steady progress of the peoples of the two countries.”
The SPA added that the visit is intended to “strengthen the deep historical bonds” between the two countries, “and to explore new areas of cooperation — particularly in the fields of trade, infrastructure and development.”
Sultan Haitham is being accompanied by senior ministers and diplomats, notably Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al-Said, Interior Minister Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal Al-Busaidi, and Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al-Busaidi.
The visit is being hailed as a milestone visit in the two neighbouring countries. The two countries have often had disputes on a range of issues. However, in recent months there has been a growing rapprochement between Riyadh and Muscat as high-level officials of the two countries have exchanged visits and conducted extensive consultations on a number of political and economic issues of common interest.. A number of trade deals are expected to be signed.
Yemen, the Iran nuclear file and Saudi-Iranian dialogue are key areas in terms of foreign policy as well as advancing cooperation at the GCC level.
The Royal Omani Court in a comment prior to the Sultan's departure said that Sultan Haitham bin Tariq's visit to the kingdom is "an affirmation of the depth of historical relations between Oman and Saudi Arabia, and the keenness of the leaderships of the two countries to strengthen the common ties that bring the two brotherly people together."
"During the visit, all aspects of cooperation that will raise the two countries to levels that meet the aspirations of their people and achieve the goals set and objectives in all areas will be discussed, leading to results that serve the common interests of the two countries and ensure a more prosperous, prosperous and brighter present and future," the statement added.
Faisal bin Turki Al Saeed, Ambassador of Oman to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said Sultan Haitham bin Tariq's visit to Saudi Arabia represents a new phase aimed at raising the level of integration in the political, security, military, economic, development and human fields.
source: commonspace.eu with Arab News (Riyadh), Saudi News Agency (Riyadh) and agencies
photo: Sultan Haitham leaving Muscat on his first official visit to Saudi Arabia