Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continue to advance their bilateral relations across all domains at an accelerating pace, reflecting the shared vision and unwavering commitment of the wise leaderships in both countries under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to Oman News Agency, the deep-seated historical, geographic, and social ties between the two nations have laid a solid foundation for mutual understanding and coordinated cooperation, establishing them as a distinguished model on the international stage. In this context, Ibrahim bin Saad bin Bishan, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Sultanate of Oman, stated that the private fraternal visit of His Majesty the Sultan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reaffirms the depth of the historic and enduring relations uniting the two countries and their peoples.
The ambassador underscored the exceptional patronage and attention these relations receive from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), he added that this visit serves as a renewed opportunity to affirm that Saudi Arabia and Oman are two nations bound by shared history, geography, destiny, and mutual interests.
The Ambassador emphasized that the strength of Saudi-Omani relations is not grounded solely in immediate interests, but rather in a profound historical legacy of trust and mutual respect. This, he noted, bolsters the two countries' standing as strategic partners and enables them to collectively shape the promising future of the region. He further observed that these bilateral ties have now surpassed half a century of distinguished cooperation, understanding, and continuous coordination.
He elaborated that these relations have been reinforced by a series of high-level reciprocal visits, most notably His Majesty the Sultan's visit to Saudi Arabia in June 2021, his first official overseas visit after assuming power. That visit resulted in the establishment of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council, serving as an institutional framework to enhance bilateral cooperation across various sectors.
The Ambassador noted that the official visit of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Oman in December 2021, followed by his private visit in September 2023, underscored the depth of joint coordination and strengthened consultations on regional and international matters. He also pointed out that this coordination is further underpinned by ongoing bilateral and international meetings and continuous deliberations between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries.
The Ambassador indicated that this visit carries significant implications amid the ongoing regional transformations and challenges. He affirmed that Saudi-Omani relations represent an exemplary model of Gulf cooperation founded on dialogue, mutual understanding, and coordination. He underscored that the bilateral relationship extends well beyond the political dimension into broader horizons encompassing economy, investment, trade, tourism, culture, and media.
He noted that the establishment of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council functions as an institutional mechanism to activate joint cooperation and monitor projects and initiatives between the two countries. He added that the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Oman constitutes a fundamental pillar in supporting the Gulf Cooperation Council framework.
He also highlighted the opening of a Saudi Public Investment Fund office in Oman, aimed at identifying suitable investment opportunities and assisting fund portfolio companies and private sector partners in expanding into Omani markets. He further emphasized the Kingdom's keenness to elevate the level of trade and investment exchange with Oman, citing official statistics that indicate notable growth in trade volume over recent years.
The Ambassador added that in 2025, Saudi direct investment in Oman amounted to approximately RO 72.8316 million, while Omani direct investment in the Kingdom reached approximately RO 115.9 million. He explained that trade and mobility between the two countries were significantly boosted by the opening of the Empty Quarter border crossing on 11 December 2021.
He further noted that the number of cross-border travelers through the border crossing reached approximately 135,902 Saudi citizens, 640,260 Omani citizens, and 744,262 individuals from other regions. The Ambassador indicated that the relations between the two countries are advancing toward a new phase of future-oriented partnership, encompassing clean energy and green hydrogen initiatives, electrical interconnection projects, the Gulf railway link, and joint tourism initiatives.
Statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information indicate that the volume of bilateral trade during the first six months of 2026 reached approximately RO 1.0862 billion. Omani exports to Saudi Arabia totaled approximately RO 547.6 million, while imports amounted to approximately RO 538.6 million. The total bilateral trade volume for 2025 was approximately RO 2.4754 billion.
Statistics further indicate that the number of Saudi visitors to Oman up to the end of August 2026 reached 80,917, while in 2025, the total stood at approximately 116,880 Saudi visitors.
