News

EU Reaches Agreement on Pivotal Carbon Market DealBrussels, 18 Dec (ONA) --- European Union (EU) negotiators today reached agreement on overhauling the bloc's carbon market, the bloc's main policy tool for fighting global warming,At stake was the EU's ability to contribute to global efforts to fight climate change, and achieve its target to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels.Meeting that goal will require the EU carbon market to be reformed to cut emissions faster, which it does by requiring around 10,000 power plants and factories to buy CO2 ...

Foreign Minister Receives UAE Minister of Foreign AffairsMuscat, 17 Dec (ONA) —- Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister received here today Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).During the meeting, the two sides affirmed the joint keenness accorded by the two countries’ leaderships to continue promoting the bilateral cooperation in all spheres to serve the joint interests in light of the historical and cultural ties binding the two countries’ peoples. Such joint keenness is also ...

Oman Welcomes Political Framework Agreement Signed in SudanMuscat, 15 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman has welcomed the political framework agreement that was recently signed in the Republic of Sudan.In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, Oman expressed the hope that the agreement will contribute to a desired transition that realizes the aspirations of the brotherly Sudanese people.Oman affirmed its support for the unity, stability and security of Sudan.Oman has also voiced its appreciation for the efforts undertaken by regional and international parties to get this ...

GCC Summit’s Communiqué Lauds Oman’s Declaration on Setting 2050 As Carbon Emissions Neutrality DeadlineRiyadh, 9 Dec (ONA) —- The GCC Supreme Council congratulated His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik over the Sultanate of Oman’s assuming the leadership of the 43rd GCC Summit and wishing Oman success in boosting the GCC march at all spheres.The council also commended Oman’s announcement on endorsing the year 2050 as the date for achieving zero neutrality in carbon emissions. It underscored the pioneering step undertaken towards gradual transition to renewable energy in member ...

HH Sayyid Fahd Heads Oman’s Delegation at Arab-China Summit for CooperationRiyadh, 9 Dec (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 of Oman’s delegation at the Arab-China Summit for Cooperation and Development. The summit was held at King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center in Riyadh. It was attended by leaders and heads of delegations of Arab countries and the People’s Republic of China.The summit discussed various topics, including deep-rooted ...

HH Sayyid Fahd Heads Oman’s Delegation at GCC-China Summit for Cooperation, DevelopmentRiyadh, 9 Dec (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 Omani side at the GCC-China Summit for Cooperation and Development, which was held in Riyadh today.HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), gave a speech at the opening of the summit. He said that the summit reflects the joint desire to reinforce GCC-Chinese ...

HH Sayyid Fahd Heads Oman’s Delegation at 43rd GCC SummitRiyadh, 9 Dec (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 of Oman’s delegation at the 43rd GCC Summit, which began in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia today.In his opening speech, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), congratulated His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik on the Sultanate of Oman’s assuming the ...

154th Ministerial Council Session Held in Preparation to 43rd GCC Summit Riyadh, 7 Dec (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, presided over the 154th session of the Ministerial Council in preparation to the 43rd GCC Summit. The session was held at the headquarters of the GCC SecretariatGeneralin Riyadh today in the presence of the GCC foreign ministers and the GCC Secretary-General. In his speech, Sayyid Badr affirmed that the Gulf Cooperation Council is pressing ahead at a steady pace as outlined by the wise visions and directives of the GCC leaders, in a ...

Oman, Georgia Hold Political ConsultationsMuscat, 7 Dec (ONA) --- The 3rd round of political consultations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Georgia was held at the Foreign Ministry here today.The Omani side was headed by Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Foreign Ministry’s Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs, while the Georgian side was headed by Alexander Khvtisiashvili, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.The two sides discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and means of enhancing them in all spheres to serve the mutual interests.The two ...

Foreign Minister Meets Singaporean Official Singapore, 5 Dec (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, met here today with Teo Chee Hean, Singaporean Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security. The meeting came as part of Sayyid Badr’s visit to the Republic of Singapore. During the meeting, the two sides explores areas of cooperation pertaining to security cooperation and exchange of expertise. They also touched on views on regional and international developments of common interest in a manner that contributes to enhancing international ...

Oman, Slovenia Hold Political Consultations Muscat, 24 Nov (ONA) --- The first round of political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the Sultanate of Oman and Slovenia was held at the Foreign Ministry here today. The Omani side was headed by Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Foreign Ministry’s Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs, while the Slovenian side was headed by Samuel Žbogar, Minister of Foreign affairs. The two sides discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and means of enhancing them. The two sides also exchanged views on ...

King of Jordan Confers Order on Omani Ambassador Amman, 23 Nov (ONA) --- King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conferred the Order of Independence (First Class) on Sheikh Hilal bin Marhoon Al Maamari, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Jordan, at the end of his tour of duty as ambassador of Oman to Jordan. Bestowing the Order on the Sheikh Al Maamari also cones in appreciation of his efforts in carrying out diplomatic duties, which has contributed to strengthening the Omani-Jordanian relations. The Order was conferred on the ambassador when the ...

Oman Expresses Sympathy with Indonesia over Cianjur Earthquake Muscat, 21 Nov (ONA) ---The Sultanate of Oman has expressed its sympathy with the Republic of Indonesia over the earthquake that hit the city of Cianjur in West Java. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry here today, Oman also expressed sincere condolences to the Indonesian government and people, as well as families of the victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. --- Ends/AH ...

Iranian President Receives Foreign Minister Tehran, 19 Nov (ONA) —— Dr. Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran received in Tehran today Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister.During the meeting, Sayyid Badr conveyed greetings and best wishes of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to President Raisi and the people of Iran.On his turn, the Iranian President expressed his appreciation and best wishes to His Majesty the Sultan and the Omani people, wishing the relations between the two countries further progress. President Raisi also expressed his greetings to the ...

Foreign Minister Meets Iranian CounterpartTehran, 19 Nov (ONA) —— Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister met in Tehran today with Dr. Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.The meeting touched on areas of bilateral cooperation and means of promoting them to serve the joint interests.It also discussed a set of regional and international issues of common interests. The two sides affirmed that they will continue the joint consultation and baking all efforts that maintain security, peace and stability through dialogue and political ...

Grain Deal Extended for Another 120 Days Ankara, 17 Nov (ONA) --- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed today that the grain deal signed in Istanbul in July would be extended for 120 days. "Following the decision made by the UN, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine, the agreement on the Black Sea corridor will be extended from 19 November 2022 for 120 days," the Turkish leader wrote on Twitter. Erdogan thanked UN chief Antonio Guterres, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky for their efforts to extend the initiative. According to ...

Foreign Minister Receives Credentials Copy of Estonian, Mauritian Ambassadors Muscat, 15 Nov (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, received credentials copy of Ingrid Amer, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia appointed to the Sultanate of Oman. Sayyid Badr wished the ambassador success in carrying out her duties. He also wished the relations between Oman and Estonia further development and growth. Sayyid Badr also received a copy of credentials of Shaukat Ali Soudhan, Ambassador of the Republic of Mauritius appointed to the Sultanate of Oman. ...

Foreign Minister Receives Ambassadors of UK, Brazil Muscat, 15 Nov (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister received here today Ligia Maria Scherer, Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the Sultanate of Oman to bid her farewell at the end of her tour of duty. Sayyid Badr expressed his appreciation to the ambassador for the efforts she exerted in enhancing relations between the two countries. He also wished her success in her future endeavors. Moreover, Sayyid Badr also received, separately, Bill Murray, Ambassador of the United Kingdom (UK) to the ...

APEC Economic Leaders Week Kicks off in Thailand Bangkok, 14 Nov (ONA) --- The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum Week was opened in the Thai capital of Bangkok today. From 14 November and through 19 November 2022, the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center is to host meetings of senior APEC officials, ministerial meetings, plenary sessions, exhibitions and a number of other events related to the forum. It will end with a meeting of APEC Economic Leaders’ meeting on 18 and 19 November, which will be attended by representatives of 21 economies. The opening ...

UK Strikes Revised Deal with France on Channel Migrants London, 14 Nov (ONA) --- The United Kingdom (UK) will pay France £8m more a year under a revised deal to try to stop people crossing the English Channel in small boats. Under the updated agreement, UK police officers will be embedded with their French counterparts in control rooms and on beaches. The number of officers patrolling the French coast to try to stop people setting off will rise from 200 to 300. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was "confident we can bring the numbers down". But, speaking to ...

US President, Chinese President Meet in Indonesia Jakarta, 14 Nov (ONA) --- US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened their first in-person meeting today since the US president took office nearly two years ago. President Xi and President Biden greeted each other with a handshake at a luxury resort hotel in Indonesia, where they are attending the Group of 20 summit of large economies, before they sat down for what was expected to be a conversation lasting several hours. “As the leaders of our two nations, we share responsibility, in my view, to show that ...

Oman Condoles Turkey over Istanbul Explosion Muscat, 14 Nov (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman has expressed its condolences to the government and people of the Republic of Turkey, as well as families of the victims of the explosion that targeted Taksim area in Istanbul, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry here today, Oman reiterated its firm stance in condemning all forms of violence and terrorism. --- Ends/AH ...

Foreign Ministry’s Administrative Affairs Undersecretary Receives German Delegation Muscat, 10 Nov (ONA) --- Mohammed Nasser Al Wahaibi, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Administrative and Financial Affairs, received here today Roland Weigert, Vice Minister in the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy in the Federal Republic of Germany. The two sides reviewed the cooperation relations between the two countries and means of enhancing them, especially in the fields of renewable energy and joint investments. The meeting was ...

NATO Summit in Vilnius to Focus on Defence Spending, Ukraine SupportBrussels, 9 Nov (ONA) ---- The next summit of NATO leaders is to take place in Vilnius in Lithuania on 11-12 July, 2023, the Western military alliance announced today.The meeting comes as the alliance faces "the most complex and unpredictable security environment since the Cold War," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.Leaders of the 30-member alliance are to agree on further steps to increase their defence, review defence spending increases and continue their support for Ukraine, Stoltenberg said.The last ...

Bahraini Citizens in Oman Cast Votes in Parliamentary ElectionsMuscat, 8 Nov (ONA) --- Citizens of the Kingdom of Bahrain residing in the Sultanate of Oman began to cast votes today to select their representative in parliamentary elections. The representatives stand for four districts, which are the Capital, Al Muharraq and the northern and southern governorates.Dr. Juma Ahmed Al Kaabi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Sultanate of Oman, told Oman News Agency (ONA) that Bahrain is witnessing a historic day in its democratic path, which was established by King Hamad bin Isa ...

Oman, USA to Hold Talks in Washington Tomorrow Muscat, 7 Nov (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman and the United States of America (USA) will hold tomorrow (Tuesday) talks in Washington between the Foreign Ministry and the US Department of State. Oman’s delegation will be chaired by Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, while the US side will be chaired by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The talks will review the successes of recent cooperation on global, regional and bilateral issues, in addition to devising new plans within the framework of the existing ...

Arab-US Policymakers’ Conference Promotes Humane Collaboration: Foreign MinisterMuscat, 6 Nov (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, has said that the 31st Annual Arab-US Policymakers Conference promotes collaboration that is enhanced by a global humanitarian vision.Sayyid Badr made the statement at the conference, organized in Washington by the National Council on US-Arab Relations.“The conference contributes extensively to understanding the challenges, opportunities, and uncertainties in the Arab-US relations that we face together today,” Sayyid Badr explained.He ...

UN Secretary General Lauds Oman’s Efforts in Backing Peace, Stability in Middle East, the WorldNew York, 6 Nov (ONA) --- The UN Secretary General António Guterres commended the efforts undertaken by the Sultanate of Oman in backing peace and stability in Middle East and the world at large.Guterres gave the statement when he visited the premises of Oman’s Permanent Delegation to the UN at New York. He pointed out that the world is well aware of Oman’s history and the role of Omanis in propagating peace in the globe through their culture of tolerance and coexistence.He added ...

Oman Expresses Sympathy with Philippines on Nalgae StormMuscat, 3 Nov (ONA) —— The Sultanate of Oman has expresses its sympathy with the Republic of the Philippines on the storm “Nalgae” that swept several regions of the country.In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry here today, Oman expressed sincere condolences to the government and people of the Philippines, as well as families of the victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.—- Ends/AH ...

Oman, USA Hold 6th Annual Meeting Muscat, 1 Nov (ONA) ---- The Sultanate of Oman and the United States of America (USA) today held their 6th annual meeting, based on the advanced strategic relations binding the two countries. The meeting was aimed at developing and consolidating security coordination between the two sides. The meeting reviewed training programmes and security plans scheduled for 2023 to hone the skills of nationals in various areas and promote bilateral relations between Oman and the USA. --- Ends/Sooban/Bishara ...