News

GCC States Affirm Constant Support for All Initiatives to Promote Human RightsGeneva, 21 Sep (ONA) --- GCC states issued a statement affirming their constant support for all initiatives aimed at promoting human rights.The statement underscored the GCC states’ keenness on addressing contemporary issues and challenges that have direct and fundamental impacts on human rights, including climate change and modern technologies.The statement expressed the GCC states’ conviction that such challenges could be addressed by enhancing international cooperation. It pointed out that GCC states ...

Foreign Minister Participates in Dialogue Session at Middle East Summit in New YorkNew York, 21 Sep (ONA) --- Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi took part in a dialogue session at the Middle East Global Summit, organized by Al-Monitor media organization in New York.During the session, Sayyid Badr underscored the Sultanate of Oman’s firm stance on many regional and international issues, most notably the Palestinian cause.Speaking about the Palestinian issue, Sayyid Badr stressed the necessity of achieving a comprehensive and fair peace on the basis of the Two-State ...

Foreign Minister Meets Several Officials on Sidelines of UN General Assembly New York, 20 Sep (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister met here today with Zbigniew Rau, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. The meeting, held in the headquarters of Oman’s permanent mission to the United Nations (UN), comes on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, which is held in New York. Sayyid Badr underscored the two countries keenness to enhance the existing relations and cooperation in various fields of interest. The two sides also exchanged ...

Saudi Arabia Welcomes Outcome of Yemen Roadmap Talks in Which Oman Participated Riyadh, 20 Sep (ONA)--- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has expressed its warm welcome for the positive outcome of discussions to reach a roadmap in Yemen, in which the Sultanate of Oman participated. The talks, held in Riyadh, support the peace path in Yemen. In a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) outlined details of a meeting held by Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman with the Sana’a delegation. The meeting underscored ...

Oman, Solomon Islands Establish Diplomatic Relations New York, 20 Sep (ONA)--- The Sultanate of Oman and Solomon Islands today signed a statement establishing diplomatic relations. The signing ceremony took place at the headquarters of the Permanent Mission of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations in New York. The statement was signed by Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad al Busaidi and Jeremiah Manelli, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Solomon Islands. The two sides expressed their keenness to encourage diplomatic communication, commercial and economic ...

Southeast Asia Nations Hold First Joint Navy Drills Jakarta, 19 Sep (ONA) --- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations today began its first joint naval exercise at a time when several member countries are responding more strongly to increasing Chinese assertiveness in the area. The non-combat drills, named ASEAN Solidarity Exercise, include joint maritime patrol operations, search and rescue operations, and humanitarian and disaster relief, Indonesian military chief Adm. Yudo Margono said. He added the five-day exercise in Indonesia’s Natuna waters aims to boost ...

UN Chief Says People Look to Leaders for Action New York, 19 Sep (ONA) --- Leaders of a world fractured by war, climate change and persisting inequality today gather under one roof to hear the UN chief summon them to take united action on humanity’s huge challenges – and to start delivering their own assessments on the most global of stages. “People are looking to their leaders for a way out of this mess,” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said ahead of the annual gathering of presidents and premiers, ministers and monarchs at the General Assembly. He said the ...

Oman Chairs GCC-British Ministerial Meeting in New York New York, 19 Sep (ONA)--- The Sultanate of Oman today chaired a joint ministerial meeting between the GCC foreign ministers and James Cleverly, British Foreign Secretary. The meeting was held within the context of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. At the meeting, Oman was represented by Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Chairman of the current session of the Gulf Ministerial Council. The meeting was attended by the GCC Secretary General. The meeting reviewed relations between ...

Oman Chairs GCC Foreign Ministers' Meeting with Their Caribbean States’ CounterpartsNew York, 19 Sep (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman today chaired a meeting of GCC foreign ministers with their counterparts in the Association of Caribbean States. The meeting was held within the context of the 78th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York.At the meeting, Oman was represented by Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Chairman of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council. The meeting was attended by the GCC Secretary General.The two sides ...

Foreign Minister Meets President of International Peace Institute New York, 19 Sep (ONA)--- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister held a meeting with Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, President of the International Peace Institute, on the sidelines of the Sultanate of Oman’s participation in the 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA78) in New York. The meeting addressed a number of global issues, such as the climate change and efforts to underscore the strategic importance of achieving permanent peace in the Middle East, in addition to restoring the Palestinian ...

Oman, Switzerland Mark 50th Anniversary of Establishing Diplomatic Relations Muscat, 19 Sep (ONA) --- The Foreign Ministry today held a ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Swiss Confederation. Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs underscored that the two countries’ leaderships accord attention to bilateral relations and means of advancing them. He also said that both sides are working on boosting relations in various economic, business and ...

Oman Participates in Arab Ministerial Consultative Meeting in New York New York, 19 Sep (ONA)--- The Sultanate of Oman today took part in the Arab ministerial consultative meeting of foreign ministers, who convened within the context of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly held in New York. Oman’s delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi. The meeting, which was chaired by Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Arab Republic of Egypt, dealt with means of coordinating Arab stance about issues on the General ...

US President Thanks HM The Sultan over US Detainees Release from IranWashington, 18 Sep (ONA) --- President Joe Biden of the United States of America (USA) expressed his sincere thanks to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, for their efforts in facilitating a detainee-swap deal between the USA and Iran.Following the deal, five American citizens who were released by Iranian authorities arrived in Qatar earlier today, while Iranian funds estimated at $6 billion US dollars were released and transferred to banks in ...

EU Endorses New Law to Modernise Judicial Cooperation in Combating TerrorismBrussels, 18 Sep (ONA) --- The European Council (EU) endorsed a new law to boost digital information exchange in terrorism cases between national authorities and Eurojust.This law aims to streamline the exchange of investigative data and prosecution efforts related to terrorism, ensuring that member state authorities and EU agencies have access to comprehensive and up-to-date information.The adoption of this law represents a qualitative leap in terms of information sharing between the member states and ...

Oman Chairs GCC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New YorkNew York, 18 Sep (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman today chaired a coordination meeting of GCC foreign ministers in preparation for the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.Chaired by Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, the meeting looked into a programme of joint meetings that GCC states will hold with friendly countries, as well as regional gatherings on schedule.The GCC ministers exchanged views about ways to maximize common benefits from various aspects of cooperation.The meeting also touched on ...

WFP Warns of ‘Doom Loop’ for World’s Hungriest as Governments Cut Aid, Needs Increase Rome, 12 Sep (ONA) --- The World Food Program (WFP) today warned that humanitarian funding cuts by governments are forcing the UN agency to drastically cut food rations to the world’s hungriest people, with each 1% cut in aid risking to push 400,000 people toward starvation. The agency said the more than 60% funding shortfall this year was the highest in WFP’s 60-year history and marks the first time the Rome-based agency has seen contributions decline while needs rise. As a ...

On Brink of Joining NATO, Sweden Seeks to Boost its Defense Spending Stockholm, 11 Sep (ONA) --- The Swedish government today said it wants to increase its defense budget by 28%, putting it on track to reach the military spending target 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) set by the NATO alliance, which the Scandinavian country is preparing to join. Unveiling a defense bill for 2024, Sweden’s center-right coalition government has said military spending would increase by a total of $2.4 billion. Of that amount, approximately $63 million will be spent on Sweden’s future ...

Foreign Minister Receives Japanese Counterpart in Riyadh Riyadh, 7 Sep (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister received Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The meeting came on the sidelines of the joint ministerial meeting between the GCC and Japan held in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The two sides reviewed the bilateral relations and means of promoting them. They also exchanged viewpoints on a range of regional and international issues of common concern. --- Ends/Khalid ...

Romania Hosts Summit to Boost Connectivity between 12 EU Countries, Partners Bucharest, 6 Sep (ONA) --- A two-day summit in Romania today began. The summit brings together 12 European Union (EU) member states situated between the Baltic, Black and Adriatic Seas, as the grouping of aims to boost ties and connectivity amidst the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war. The Three Seas Initiative, which is being held in the capital, Bucharest, brings together high-ranking officials from EU countries, as well as representatives from partner countries. It aims to improve interconnectivity in ...

Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan Resume Negotiations over Disputed Dam Cairo, 27 Aug (ONA) --- Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan today resumed their years-long negotiations over the controversial dam Ethiopia is building on the Nile River’s main tributary, officials said. The resumption of talks came after President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt and Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said last month that they aim to reach within four months an agreement on the operation of the $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. The Blue Nile meets the White Nile in Sudan’s capital ...

Oman Condemns Acts of Sabotage Against Faisalabad Churches, Homes in PakistanMuscat, 21 Aug (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman today expressed its denunciation and condemnation of brutal acts of vandalism that targeted churches and homes in the city of Faisalabad, eastern Pakistan.In a statement by the Foreign Ministry, Oman lauded the steps taken by the Pakistani government to address those acts which, Oman said, contravene religious teachings and human values.Oman reiterated its rejection of all practices of violence, hatred and intolerance against religions and beliefs. ...

Oman Condoles Iran on Victims of Shah Cheragh attack Muscat, 14 Aug (ONA) ---- The Sultanate of Oman has expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the Islamic Republic of Iran on victims of the attack that took place in Shah Cheragh Shrine in Shiraz yesterday, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, Oman has underscored its permanent stance in denouncing all forms and motives of terrorism. --- Ends/AH ...

Violent Explosion Hits Optical Equipment Factory Near Moscow Moscow, 9 Aug (ONA) ---- A violent explosion in the town of Sergiyev Posad, about 70 kilometres north-east of Moscow, has apparently injured about a dozen people.The Russian state news agency TASS reported that the explosion occurred on a factory site on Wednesday morning for initially unexplained reasons.--- Ends/AH ...

President of Pakistan Receives SAF Chief of Staff Islam Abad, 6 Aug (ONA) --- President Dr. Arif Alvi of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan received at the Presidential palace in Islam Abad, Vice Admiral Abdullah Khamis Al Raisi, Chief of Staff of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and his accompanying delegation. This came during the official visit paid by Al Raisi to Pakistan. The Pakistani president welcomed the SAF Chief of Staff and asked him to convey his greetings to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and the Omani people. During the meeting, areas of bilateral cooperation were ...

Oman Expresses Sincere Condolences to Pakistan’s Government, People Muscat, 31 Jul (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and families of the victims following the bombing that targeted Khyber Province. It also wished the injured a speedy recovery. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry today, the Sultanate of Oman reaffirmed its firm stance in condemning all forms of violence and terrorism. --- Ends/Khalid ...

Oman, Mexico Celebrate 48th Anniversary of Establishing Diplomatic Relations Muscat, 31 Jul (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman and Mexico today celebrate the 48th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Anibal Gomez Toledo, Ambassador of Mexico to the Sultanate of Oman, hailed in a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA) the distinguished bilateral relations between the Sultanate of Oman and Mexico. He stressed the keenness of the governments of the two countries to promote everything that would advance the bilateral relations to broader ...

Oman Affirms its Unwavering Stance Backing Palestinians Right to Self-determination The Hague, 26 Jul (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman has reaffirmed its unwavering stance backing the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of an independent sovereign State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital on the borders of 4 June 1967, in accordance with the Security Council’s resolutions issued in this regard, as well as the Arab Peace Initiative, the principle of land for peace and the vision of the international community on the principle of ...

9 People Killed in Plane Crash in Eastern Sudan, War Reaches 100-day Mark Khartoum, 24 Jul (ONA) --- A civilian plane crashed after taking off from an airport in eastern Sudan, killing nine people, including four military personnel who were aboard the aircraft, the military said. The conflict in the north-eastern African country reached the 100-day mark with no sign of abating. The military said in a statement that a child survived late Sunday’s crash in Port Sudan, a city on the Red Sea that so far has been spared from the devastating war between the military and the powerful ...

Oman Participates in International Conference on Development and Migration in Italy Rome, 23 Jul (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Foreign Ministry, took part in the International Conference on Development and Migration being held in Rome under the auspices of Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy. At the beginning of his meeting with the Italian Prime Minister, Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, Head of Oman’s delegation, conveyed greetings of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik along with best wishes of success to Meloni in ...

Foreign Minister Meets Iranian Counterpart in TehranTehran, 17 Jul (ONA) —— Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi met in Tehran today Dr. Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran.The meeting dealt with a set of topics related to the bilateral relations and means of promoting them to serve interests of the Omani and Iranian peoples.The two sides also discussed the latest developments at the regional and international arenas. They stressed their determination to continue consultation and baking all efforts that aim at maintaining security and stability.—— ...