News

      Muscat, Jan 11 (ONA) --- The Foreign Ministries of the Sultanate and Brunei Darussalam held the 20th consultative meeting today.      Held via video-conferencing, the Sultanate's side was chaired by Sheikh Khalifa Ali al-Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Diplomatic Affairs, while the Brunei side was chaired by Pengiran Norhashimah binti Pengiran Mohd, Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei.      During the meeting, the two sides discussed several topics of mutual interests and means ...

 Al-Ula, Jan 5 (ONA) --- On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, HH Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al-Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers headed the Sultanate's delegation in the 41st Summit of GCC Leaders, which was held today in Al-Ula city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).        The 41st summit discussed a number of important topics in terms of boosting cooperation and integrative march on various political, security, economic and social fields. It also reviewed regional and international political developments ...

         Muscat, Jan 4 (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad al- Busaidi, Foreign Minister today received Kimberly Reed, President and Chairman of Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of the United States of America (USA).       The meeting reviewed friendship and cooperation relations between the Sultanate and the USA.       The meeting also explored means of promoting financial and banking cooperation and enhancing trade and investment partnership between the two friendly countries, within the framework of the Sultanate-US Free ...

Al-Ula, Jan 3 (ONA) – The 41st GCC Summit will begin this Tuesday at Al Ula city of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.   The summit coincides with the 40th anniversary of foundation of the GCC, established on 25 May 1981 with a view to realizing integration among member states in all fields and cementing bonds among its peoples.   The Council also aims to establish identical systems for economic, financial, commercial and customs sectors, promoting scientific and technological progress by setting up research centres, implementing joint projects and encouraging ...

Muscat, Dec 30 (ONA) —- The Sultanate today condemned the terrorist blast at Aden Airport, leaving a number of people dead and injured. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry today, the Sultanate urged all parties to resort to dialogue and understanding, as well as supporting efforts for establishing peace in Yemen.  – ...

  Muscat, Dec 30 (ONA) --- The Sultanate and the Kingdom of Thailand stressed keenness to promote areas of cooperation and coordination to serve the joint interests.   This came when Sayyid Badr Hamad al-Busaidi, Foreign Minister and Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand exchanged congratulations on marking the 40th anniversary of establishing the diplomatic relations between the two friendly countries.   The mutual visits and consultations at different levels have contributed in boosting ...

  Muscat, Dec 30 (ONA) --- An official session of talks was held between the Sultanate and the United States of America (USA). The session dealt with promoting security cooperation.     The session also reviewed the joint security training and exercise programs, scheduled to be implemented in 2021. These programs aim at upgrading the national capabilities in various joint security fields, as well as sustaining security coordination between the two sides for the interest of regional stability and security.   The session comes within the framework of enhancing ...

Muscat, Dec 27 (ONA) --- The Sultanate today participated in the 146thsession meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council, in preparation for the 41st session of the GCC Supreme Council.   The Sultanate was represented in the meeting, held via videoconferencing, by Sayyid Badr Hamad al-Busaidi, Foreign Minister, in the presence of Dr. Nayif Falah al-Hajraf, GCC Secretary General.   The session comes in preparation for the upcoming GCC Summit, scheduled to be held in Riyadh on 5 March 2021.   The meeting reviewed a range of topics in the economic, social and ...

  Kuwait, Dec 21 (ONA) —— Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi, Foreign Minister met today with Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nassir Al Mohammed al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the sisterly State of Kuwait.   During the meeting, the two sides discussed means of enhancing fraternal relations. They stressed the importance of promoting them in various fields to achieve mutual benefits. In this context, the two ministers agreed to hold the upcoming session of the Omani-Kuwaiti Joint Committee in Muscat during the first quarter of 2021. The two sides also exchanged views ...

  Riyadh, Dec 21 (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi, Foreign Minister today met Dr. Nayef Falah al-Hajraf, GCC Secretary General.   The meeting touched on the GCC march. It also exchanged consultations on several GCC action fields.   The two sides also express their joint support to all that would upgrade the GCC towards broader horizons. --- ...

Riyadh, Dec 21 (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi, Foreign Minister met with Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia.   During the meeting, held at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, the two sides underlined the depth of fraternal relations between the two countries. They also stressed the joint keenness to sustain cooperation in various fields to achieve mutual benefits.      The two sides affirmed their support for the joint action march within the GCC framework. They also exchanged views on several issues and latest ...

Muscat, Dec 21 (ONA) --- A meeting was held today between Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali al-Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Diplomatic Affairs and Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation.   Held via video-conferencing, the meeting discussed the relations between the two friendly countries and means of enhancing them to serve the joint interests, besides exchanging views on the regional and international issues. --- ...

Doha, Dec 17 (ONA) – The State of Qatar will tomorrow celebrate its National Day, which falls on the 18th of December every year. Qatar has made many significant accomplishments under the leadership of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Emir of Qatar.   This year, the State of Qatar witnessed a large number of achievements in implementation of Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims at consolidating sustainable development in the fields of education, training, health, human resources and economic diversification.   Qatar takes the lead in many international ...

Muscat, Dec 16 (ONA)--- Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al- Busaidi, Foreign Minister received today V Muraleedharan, Minister of External Affairs in the Republic of India. The meeting reviewed means of enhancing relations between the two countries and emphasized the two sides' keenness in supporting partnership in the economic and investment fields.   The meeting also stressed the importance of cooperation and information exchange within the framework of the endeavors exerted against Covid19.   The two sides exchanged views on the regional and international issues of common ...

  Manama, Dec 15 (ONA) --- The sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain will mark tomorrow (Wednesday) its 49th National Day and the 21st anniversary of King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain, accession to the throne. Since 1971, the Kingdom of Bahrain has been able to march towards progress and development by relying on its own capabilities, as well as developing a strategic vision that enhances its economic and financial capabilities. The Kingdom of Bahrain has witnessed a significant progress after King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa took reins of power in 1999. He announced ...

  Muscat, Dec 15 (ONA) – The Sultanate today condemned the targeting of an oil tanker off the Port of Jeddah in the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).   A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry expressed the Sultanate’s solidarity with the KSA while it is addressing attacks targeting its security, stability and the freedom of navigation in its waters. – ...

  Muscat, Dec 14 (ONA) --- The 7th session of the strategic consultation committee between the Sultanate's Foreign Ministry and the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held today.     The Omani side was chaired by Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali al-Harthy, Foreign Ministry's Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs while the Iranian side was chaired by Dr. Abbas Araghchi, Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs.   The session discussed the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and means of promoting them in various fields to the serve the ...

  Muscat, Dec 14 (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi, Foreign Minister received in his office today Dr. Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs.   During the meeting, the two sides stressed the importance of promoting various fields of bilateral cooperation, particularly the economic, commercial, cultural and scientific areas to serve the joint interests.   They also exchanged views on the regional and international developments, stressing keenness of the two neighbouring countries in supporting all endeavours and initiatives to ...

  Muscat, Dec 4 (ONA) —— The Sultanate has welcomed the statement issued by the sisterly State of Kuwait on the positive outcomes of reconciliation efforts that were previously led by the late Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber al-Sabah, as well as the efforts being made by Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait and US President Donald Trump.  These efforts reflect the keenness of all parties on solidarity and stability in GCC and other Arab countries with a view to reaching a final accord that would achieve constant ...

Muscat, Dec 3 (ONA)--- Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali al-Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Diplomatic Affairs received today David Kenneth Schenker, Assistant of the US Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs and his accompanying delegation, who is currently on an official visit to the Sultanate.   The meeting discussed relations of the existing cooperation between the two countries in various fields and touched on the regional and international issues of common concern. The meeting also touched on the endeavors exerted to achieve peace and stability in the ...

Muscat, Dec 2 (ONA)--- Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud al-Busaidi, Foreign Minister held a virtual meeting today with S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India.   The meeting stressed the two countries' keenness in enhancing the existing cooperation relations on various fields, including cooperation in healthcare field to curb Covid-19 and the international cooperation to find a vaccine for this pandemic.   The meeting also touched on means of resolving issues and conflicts peacefully through dialogue.   The meeting was attended by ...

Muscat, Dec 2 (ONA) --- HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik bin Taimour al-Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs received in his office at Mu'askar Al Murtafa’ today Ali Najafi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Sultanate. The two sides reviewed the good relations between the two friendly countries, as well as exchanging views on matters of common concern. —- ...

New York, Dec 2 (ONA) – The Culture of Peace is accorded a special status in the Sultanate’s policy as reaffirmed by His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik.    This was stated here today before the United Nations general assembly meeting during the Sultanate’s speech, quoting His Majesty the Sultan’s Royal address last February in which he said, “Oman’s Message of Peace will continue to roam the world, conveying a great legacy and noble objectives, building rather than demolishing, working for rapprochement rather than ...

The Hague, Dec 1 (ONA) —— The Sultanate is currently participating in the 25th session of the Conference of States Parties (CSP) of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).   The Sultanate is represented by Dr. Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem Al Harthy, the Sultanate’s ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and its permanent representative to the organization.   The five-day conference discusses a number of topics, including appointing the Director-General  and the deputies, electing members of the Executive Council, the ...

Muscat, Nov 29 (ONA)--- Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister made a phone call to Dr. Mohammed Jawad Zarif, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.   During the call, Sayyid Badr expressed the Sultanate’s condolences on the killing of the Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhri Zadeh. He also expressed the Sultanate’s condemnation of this act and everything that contradicts with the divine laws, as well ad the humanitarian and international ...

Sidney, Nov 29 (ONA) —- The Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP) has rated the Sultanate as the country that is least exposed to terrorist attacks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In its Global Peace Index 2020 report, the Australia-based institute said that the number of terrorism victims worldwide stood at 13,826 in 2019 and that 63 countries witnessed, at least, one terrorist attack last year, the least since 2013. The worst-hit region of the world was the sub-Saharan zone in Africa which comprises seven out of ten countries in the world that had the largest ...

Muscat, Nov 24 (ONA) Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud al-Busaidi, Foreign Minister received in his office today Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak al-Hajjraf, GCC Secretary General.   The meeting reviewed the GCC march and the efforts exerted to enhance this march, in addition to the consultation on matters that serve aspirations of the GCC peoples. —- ...

        Muscat, Nov 23 (ONA) ---- A session of consultation was held between the Sultanate and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan via video conferencing today.    Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali al-Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Diplomatic Affairs chaired the Omani side, while the Pakistani side was chaired by Sohail Mahmood, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan.          The session discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and means of enhancing them in various fields to serve joint interests ...

Washington, Nov 19 (ONA) —- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, acting on behalf of the United States Government, expressed his best wishes to His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik and the Omani people on the occasion of 50th National Day of the Renaissance. Pompeo commended the advanced level of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. He expressed his country’s appreciation for the Sultanate’s role in enhancing the stability of the region. He said that the United States looks for more partnership with Oman in economic and security fields in coming years under the ...

        Muscat, Nov 14 (ONA) – The Sultanate today expressed its solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Morocco in the measures it undertook recently to protect its security and the sovereignty of its lands and to secure the freedom of civil and commercial movement in the buffer zone of Guerguerat (Western Sahara).     The Sultanate also reiterates its support for efforts exerted by the United Nation to establish peace and stability in that region.  – ...