Outcomes of the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council in Muscat
In a move reflecting the depth of the strategic relationship between Riyadh and Muscat, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, arrived today in the Omani capital, Muscat, where he met with his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi. The two ministers co-chaired the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council, which serves as the primary framework for developing bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries.
Historical depth and shared vision
This meeting comes as a continuation of the cooperation process that was established on a solid institutional basis with the signing of the memorandum of understanding establishing the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council in July 2021, during His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq's visit to the Kingdom and his meeting with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in NEOM. Since its inception, the Council has aimed to align the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 with Oman Vision 2040, creating significant economic and investment opportunities that will benefit the entire region.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the deep-rooted fraternal relations and ways to enhance them in various fields, in addition to discussing regional and international developments, stressing the importance of continued political coordination to ensure the security and stability of the region in light of current challenges.
Significant leaps in economic cooperation
The third meeting focused on vital economic issues, with His Highness the Saudi Foreign Minister emphasizing the importance of developing trade relations and stimulating investment. In a tangible step to facilitate bilateral trade, His Highness commended the signing of the memorandum on “Facilitating Mutual Recognition of Rules of Origin” between the two countries, which allows for the acceptance of certificates of origin issued by the relevant authorities. This measure will directly contribute to expediting the flow of goods and reducing logistical costs.
The launch of the second phase of industrial integration initiatives was also announced, reflecting a serious desire to build a joint industrial base that reduces dependence on foreign imports and enhances local content in both countries.
A digital platform for tracking progress
As part of governance and ensuring the implementation of initiatives, both sides commended the launch of the Coordination Council's electronic platform, designed to link the work of subcommittees and monitor the progress of initiatives accurately and transparently. This step represents a qualitative leap in joint working mechanisms, ensuring the addressing of any challenges that may arise in implementing agreed-upon projects in the fields of energy, investment, tourism, and culture.
Comprehensive strategic partnership
For his part, the Omani Foreign Minister noted the significant progress in bilateral relations, pointing out that cooperation is no longer limited to political aspects but has expanded to include economic integration, security cooperation, and judicial matters. At the conclusion of the meeting, both ministers emphasized the need for the established committees to continue working to finalize the necessary procedures for implementing previous recommendations, including the outcomes of the second meeting held in Al-Ula.
The meeting concluded with the signing of the minutes of the third session of the Coordination Council, in the presence of a high-level delegation from both sides, which included Assistant Minister of Interior Dr. Hisham Al-Falih, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs Ambassador Dr. Saud Al-Sati, and a number of leaders from the Ministries of Investment, Economy and Culture, which confirms the comprehensiveness of this cooperation and the diversity of its sectors.
