News

Oman, Zanzibar Explore Means of Boosting Bilateral CooperationMuscat, 29 Jan (ONA) --- Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs received here today Othman Masoud Othman Sharif, Fist Vice-President of Zanzibar and his accompanying delegation.During the meeting, the two sides reviewed areas of bilateral cooperation and means of enhancing them in various spheres, especially in economic and cultural fields.The meeting was attended by Saleh Mohammed Al Saqri, Head of the East Africa Department at the Foreign Ministry, Fatima Mohammed Rajab, ...

OIC Welcomes ICJ's Ruling on War Against Gaza Jeddah, 28 Jan (ONA) --- The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has welcomed the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to prevent further genocidal acts committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. In a statement today, the OIC called on all state parties to ensure the full and immediate compliance of the Israeli entity with the court's ruling, stressing the need for the international community to assume its responsibilities towards achieving ...

UN Secretary-General Calls for Support for UNRWA to MeetPalestiniansNeeds New York, 28 Jan (ONA) --- Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General called for the need to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). He affirmed that urgent measures would be taken after allegations of the involvement of employees in the 7th of October attacks. Guterres said that the UN is taking swift action following the extremely serious allegations against several UNRWA staff members. "An investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) ...

Oman, Cyprus Explore Promoting Bilateral RelationsMuscat, 28 Jan (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister received here today Dr. Konstantinos Kompos, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus.The two sides explored the bilateral relations and means of developing them. They also discussed cooperation in economic, trade and arts fields. The two sides also agreed to finalize several agreements and memoranda of understanding, such as an agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income, ...

Oman Welcomes International Court of Justice’s Resolutions on Israeli Violation of Humanitarian ObligationsMuscat, 26 Jan (ONA) —— The Sultanate of Oman has welcomed the resolutions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague issued today regarding the lawsuit filed by the Republic of South Africa against the Israeli occupying state regarding Israel’s clear, deliberate and large-scale violation of its legal and humanitarian obligations to Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG).In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, Oman ...

Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Receives Dutch Official Muscat, 22 Jan (ONA) --- Khalid Hashel Al Muselhi, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Administrative and Financial Affairs received here today Marcel De Vink, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. During the meeting, the two sides touched on the bilateral relations and underscored the two countries' keenness to boost cooperation in various fields. They also reviewed regional developments and the efforts exerted to contain the current escalation in the region. They stressed the ...

Oman, Türkiye Stress Need for De-escalation in Gaza Strip to Avoid Regional SpilloverMuscat, 21 Jan (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, today held a telephonic conversation with Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye.The phone call focused on the development of regional and global attitudes towards Israel's brutal aggression and illegal siege on the Gaza Strip, as well as the risk escalation in the region as a result. The two agreed on the importance of intensifying political efforts to achieve a de-escalation, a ceasefire and ...

Oman’s Ambassador to Germany Presents Credentials as Non-resident Ambassador to Norway Oslo, 18 Jan (ONA) --- Maitha Saif Al Mahrouqi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Federal Republic of Germany, today presented her credentials in Oslo to King Harald V of Norway as the Non-resident ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Kingdom of Norway. The Ambassador conveyed to the King of Norway the greetings of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, along with His Majesty the Sultan’s wishes of good health and happiness to the Norwegian monarch. She also conveyed His ...

Oman Participates in Arab League Emergency Session on Developments in Somalia Muscat, 17 Jan (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman today took part in the Arab League Council's emergency session to lend backing to the Federal Republic of Somalia in addressing challenges posed to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The meeting was held via videoconferencing at the ministerial level. Sheikh Faisal Omar Al Marhoon, Head of the Arab Department at the Foreign Ministry, delivered the Sultanate of Oman’s speech, which affirmed Oman’s support for the sovereignty and stability of ...

Political Affairs Undersecretary Receives US Special Envoy for Yemen Muscat, 10 Jan (ONA) --- Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs met here today with Tim Lenderking, US Special Envoy for Yemen. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed efforts made to support Yemeni parties to reach a political solution that achieves security and stability for Yemen and the region. The meeting was attended by officials from the Foreign Ministry and the delegation accompanying the guest. ---Ends/Anas/Bishara ...

GCC Secretary-General Stresses Necessity of International Efforts to Halt Ongoing Israeli Attacks Riyadh, 8 Jan (ONA) --- Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi, GCC Secretary-General emphasized the necessity of concerted international efforts to halt the ongoing Israeli attacks against the Gaza Strip. During his meeting with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Al Budaiwi reviewed the latest regional and international developments, notably the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. They discussed ways to enhance international and regional efforts aimed at ending this crisis and putting ...

UNRWA: 142 UN Employees Killed So Far in Gaza Gaza, 8 Jan (ONA) --- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced the death of 142 United Nations employees in the Gaza Strip, as a result of the ongoing Israeli occupation army aggression against the strip. It pointed out that the number of UN employees as victims in the current Israeli aggression is the highest in the organization's history. UNRWA said, in a statement, that 130 of its facilities and schools were directly hit by Israeli shelling, indicating that what is happening in Gaza ...

Oman Rejects Israeli Statements on Displacement of Palestinians From Gaza StripMuscat, 4 Jan (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman has expressed its strong rejection of statements made by Israeli government officials who called for the displacement of the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip.A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry today reaffirmed Oman’s steadfast position considering the Gaza Strip an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories as stipulated in United Nations (UN) resolutions that mandate Israel’s withdrawal from all Palestinian lands it occupied, as ...

Foreign Ministries of Oman, Brunei Hold 22nd Consultations Session Bandar Seri Begawan, 4 Jan (ONA) --- The 22nd consultations session between the foreign ministries of the Sultanate of Oman and Brunei Darussalam was held today at Brunei’s capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan. The Omani side was headed by Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs, while the Brunei side was headed by Pengiran Norhashimah binti Pengiran Mohd, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The session reviewed bilateral relations in ...

UN Peacekeepers Express Concern over Security Situation in Lebanon Beirut, 3 Jan (ONA) --- The UN peacekeeping missionin Lebanon (UNIFIL) today said that it was concerned about the security situation in the country. “We are deeply concerned about the possibility of escalation," UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said. “This could have devastating consequences for people on both sides of the border,” she added. The UN mission called on all parties to cease their fire and urged restraint. The deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, Saleh Al-Aruri, was killed ...

Human Rights Monitor:Targeting Shelter Centers in Gaza Violates International Law Geneva, 2 Jan (ONA) --- The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor said that the Israeli occupation is still escalating its military attacks that directly target shelter and displacement centers in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli occupation plans to forcibly displace residents from the Gaza Strip, instill in them the feeling that there is no safe place in Gaza, and exacerbate their suffering in light of the ongoing genocidal war since 7 October 2023. The Euro-Med Monitor stressed in a ...

Human Rights Monitor:Targeting Shelter Centers in Gaza Violates International Law Geneva, 2 Jan (ONA) --- The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor said that the Israeli occupation is still escalating its military attacks that directly target shelter and displacement centers in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli occupation plans to forcibly displace residents from the Gaza Strip, instill in them the feeling that there is no safe place in Gaza, and exacerbate their suffering in light of the ongoing genocidal war since 7 October 2023. The Euro-Med Monitor stressed in a ...

Ongoing Israeli Aggression on Gaza Strip Leaves Scores Martyred and Injured Gaza, 2 Jan (ONA) --- Scores of Palestinians, including women and children, were martyred and injured in the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression on Gaza Strip for the 88th consecutive day. The Israeli occupation has launched a series of violent air raids and artillery bombardment since last night, leaving scores of Palestinians martyred and injured, in addition to causing massive destruction to houses and facilities. The Israeli air, sea and land bombardment targeted several areas in central and ...

World Food Program Warns of Complete Collapse of Most Basic Services in Gaza New York, 31 Dec (ONA) --- The World Food Programme (WFP) warned of the danger of a complete collapse of the most basic services and the occurrence of a famine in the Gaza Strip, in light of the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression on the Strip since 7 October 2023. "As we count down to a new year, there is a different kind of countdown in Gaza," WFP wrote in X platform. "We are racing against time to avert a complete collapse of even the most basic services and starvation for millions. Only a ...

Foreign Minister Receives Phone Call from UK Secretary of State David CameronMuscat, 31 Dec (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, today received a phone call from David Cameron, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.The two ministers discussed current conditions in the Gaza Strip and navigation in the Red Sea. They stressed the need for concerted international efforts to reach a comprehensive ceasefire, provide relief aid into the Gaza Strip and pave the way for peace. ---Ends/Bishara/Anas ...

Dozens of Martyrs, Wounded in Series of Israeli Raids on Gaza Strip Gaza, 28 Dec (ONA) --- Dozens of Palestinians were martyred today, while others were wounded in a series of raids by the Israeli occupation on various parts of the Gaza Strip. The Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) quoted field sources as saying that 10 people were martyred and 12 were injured in a bombing that targeted a house near Al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip. Another 17 people were martyred as a result of Israeli raids that targeted homes in the central Gaza Strip. ...

OIC Condemns Continued Israeli Occupation's Crimes Against Palestinians Jeddah, 27 Dec (ONA) --- The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has expressed its condemnation of the continued crimes of the Israeli occupation and the genocide it carried out against the Palestinian people, which led to the death of six martyrs in Tulkarm, the occupied West Bank today, in addition to hundreds of martyrs and wounded, most of them are women and children, all over the Gaza strip. In a statement, the OIC has renewed its call for the international community to assume its responsibilities ...

Euro-Med Monitor Demands Pressure on Israeli Entity to Reveal Fate of Detainees in Gaza Geneva, 26 Dec (ONA) --- The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor called on the international community to put pressure on the Israeli entity to provide answers for the fate of the Palestinian detainees in the Gaza Strip, release them and investigate the serious violations they have endured. In a statement posted on its website today, the Monitor said it had received information about the arrest by the occupation forces of hundreds of Palestinians, including women, during the past few days ...

Oman Welcomes UN Statement on Securing Roadmap to Resolve Yemeni Crisis Muscat, 24 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman has welcomed the statement issued by Hans Grundberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Yemen, on securing a roadmap to resolve the Yemeni crisis. Oman hopes that the agreement will be signed as soon as possible. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, Oman reaffirmed its continuous strive to support UN efforts to reach a comprehensive and lasting solution in Yemen in a manner that meets the aspirations of Yemeni people for security, ...

Oman Affirms Support for Palestinian People’s Cause, Their Struggle for FreedomNew York, 21 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman has reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian people’s legitimate cause in their struggle for freedom from occupation. It called for a global order to be formed on foundations and standards of equality and protection of peoples and civilian populations.This position was expressed in the Sultanate of Oman’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly’s 10th Special Emergency Session held in New York.Titled “Illegal Israeli actions in occupied ...

Telecommunications Services in Gaza Strip Down Again Gaza, 20 Dec (ONA) ---- Telecommunications services in the embattled Gaza Strip have gone down completely once again, according to the provider Paltel.All communication and internet services are down due to the "ongoing aggression," the Palestinian company based in the West Bank wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. --- ...

EU Agrees to Tighten Asylum System in Sweeping Migration Reform Brussels, 20 Dec (ONA) ---- EU states and the EU Parliament have agreed to significantly stricter asylum procedures in a major reform of the European asylum system.The painstakingly negotiated compromise announced on Wednesday provides for numerous additions and tightening of the existing rules with the aim of reducing irregular migration to the European Union."It’s been a long road to get here. But we made it. Europe is finally delivering on migration," said European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas on X, ...

Oman Expresses Sympathies with China on Victims of Earthquake in Gansu Province Muscat, 19 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman expressed its sympathies with the government and people of the People’s Democratic Republic of China over the earthquake which hit the northwestern province of Gansu. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, the Sultanate of Oman expressed its heartfelt condolences to families of the victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. --- Ends/Anas ...

HM The Sultan’s Visit Affirms Strength of Relations Between Oman, India: Foreign MinisterMuscat, 16 Dec (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, has said that the visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to India underscores the strength of bilateral relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of India as neighbours.The visit constitutes a major milestone that builds on historical relations and paves the way for a new, positive stage in developing bilateral ties, Sayyid Badr added.In a press statement, Sayyid Badr pointed out that the visit represents ...

Oman, India Adopt Joint Vision to Enhance CooerationNew Delhi, 16 Dec (ONA) —— The Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of India have adopted a Joint Vision document titled ‘A Partnership For the Future’, encompassing a shared vision of the leadership of Oman and India.The Joint Vision acknowledges the remarkable synergy between Oman Vision 2040 and India's development objectives, under ‘Amrit Kaal’, affirming commitment to harnessing these complementarities for deepening the partnership between Oman and India.This was stated in a joint statement issued by both sides, marking the ...