Foreign relations of Oman
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates
Template:Politics of Oman When Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said assumed power in 1970, Oman had limited contacts with the outside world, including neighbouring Arab states. A special treaty relationship permitted the United Kingdom close involvement in Oman's civil and military affairs. Ties with the United Kingdom remained very close throughout Sultan Qaboos' reign, along with strong ties to the United States.
The Sultanate of Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab World. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia on the western side, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the northwest and Yemen in the southwest. Oman has two enclaves (Madha and the Musandam peninsula) within the land borders of the UAE. Oman also has maritime borders with Iran and Pakistan. The Arabian Sea lies to Oman's southeast and the Gulf of Oman to the northeast. Although partially under Portuguese occupation during the 16th to mid-17th century, Oman had its own empire in East Africa from the early 18th to the mid-19th century. Oman has a population of 4.2 million (2018). Foreign expatriates are estimated to make up to 45 per cent of the population. Administratively, Oman is divided into six regions. Its national day, 18 November, is the birthday of the former Sultan, HM Qaboos bin Said Al-Said. Oman's capital is Muscat on the northern coast.
Political overview
Since 1969, Oman has pursued a moderate foreign policy and expanded its diplomatic relations dramatically. It supported the 1979 Camp David accords and was one of three Arab League states, along with Somalia and Sudan, which did not break relations with Egypt after the signing of the Egypt–Israel peace treaty in 1979.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the Persian Gulf crisisTemplate:Which?, Oman assisted the United Nations coalition effort. Oman has developed close ties to its neighbours; it joined the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council when it was established in 1980.
Oman has traditionally supported Middle East peace initiatives, as it did those in 1983. In April 1994, Oman hosted the plenary meeting of the Water Working Group of the peace process, the first Persian Gulf state to do so.
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During the Cold War period, Oman avoided relations with communist countries because of the communist support for the insurgency in Dhofar. In recent years, Oman has undertaken diplomatic initiatives in the Central Asian republics, particularly in Kazakhstan, where it is involved in a joint oil pipeline project. In addition, Oman maintains good relations with Iran, its north-eastern neighbor across the Gulf of Oman, and the two countries regularly exchange delegations. Oman is an active member in international and regional organizations, notably the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Its foreign policy is overseen by its Foreign Ministry.
In 2023, Oman established foreign relations with the Holy See, with a signing ceremony taking place at the headquarters of the Sultanate's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
International disputes
Template:See also The northern boundary with the United Arab Emirates has not been bilaterally defined; the northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary.
Diplomatic relations
List of countries which Oman maintains diplomatic relations with:
Bilateral relations
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Flag | 13 July 1992 |
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| Template:Flag | 24 March 1984 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 March 1984<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Brunei has an embassy in Muscat, and Oman has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan.<ref name="bo">Template:Cite web</ref> Relations have been established since 24 March 1984. Both countries are former protectorates of European powers (the British for Brunei and first the Portuguese and later the British for Oman), and both are now governed by an Islamic absolute monarchy.<ref name="bo" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 2 February 1974 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 February 1974<ref name=":21">Template:Cite web</ref> In September 2016, Oman played an important role in securing the release of Homa Hoodfar, an Iranian-Canadian citizen and professor at Concordia University. She had been held prisoner in Iran's Evin Prison since 6 June 2016. This happened soon after a secretive meeting between Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and Oman's Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 25 May 1978 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 May 1978<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In June 2020, Oman was one of 53 countries that backed the Hong Kong national security law at the United Nations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 27 November 1972 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 November 1972<ref name=":13">Template:Cite web</ref> Oman was the only Arab state besides Sudan under Jaafar Nimeiry to maintain good relations with Anwar al Sadat after Egypt recognized Israel. An NGO which launched a probe into foreign funding of organizations in Egypt found that Oman, along with the United Arab Emirates, donated $14.1 million to the Mohamed Alaa Mubarak institute, which was named after Hosni Mubarak's grandson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:GER | 16 May 1972 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 May 1972<ref name=":10">Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 25 July 1971 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 July 1971, when Level of Indian representation raised to Embassy<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>
See India-Oman relations India has an embassy in Muscat, Oman. The Indian consulate was opened in Muscat in February 1955, and five years later it was upgraded to a consulate general and later developed into a full-fledged embassy in 1971. The first ambassador of India arrived in Muscat in 1973. Oman established its embassy in New Delhi in 1972 and a consulate general in Mumbai in 1976. India has been considering the construction of a 1,100-km-long underwater gas pipeline from Oman for transporting natural gas. Called the South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE), it will act as an alternative to the Iran–Pakistan–India pipeline. The proposed sub-sea pipeline will meet the additional gas requirement of the UAE, Oman, and India, besides easing gas transportation issues of producing countries like Turkmenistan, Iran and Qatar. The project has been slow in materialising although it was first mooted in 1985.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> $5.6 bn Oman-India energy pipeline plans progressing: Fox Petroleum Group envisions a roughly five-year timeframe for the execution of the pipeline project.<ref name="omanobserver.om">Template:Cite web</ref> Ajay Kumar, the chairman and managing director of Fox Petroleum, based in New Delhi, which is an associate company of Fox Petroleum FZC in the UAE, said that Mr Modi had "fired the best weapon of economic development and growth". "He has given a red carpet for global players to invest in India," Mr Kumar added. "It will boost all sectors of industry – especially for small-scale manufacturing units and heavy industries too. Ajay Kumar, chairman and managing director of Fox Petroleum, said, “In the last few years, deepsea gas pipeline technology has matured. Since India has serious security concerns with regard to pipeline projects over land, a deepsea pipeline is probably the most promising option. This 1,600-kilometer OIMPP project intends to transport 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas to India over a period of 20 years. The pipeline is planned to be about 1,300 kilometers long in Phase I, and 300 kilometers more to connect Mumbai, laid at a depth of 3,400 meters below the seabed. It will connect the Middle East Compression Station near Oman with the receiving terminal near Gujarat.” A week prior to the Iran-P5+1 Framework Agreement, Fox Petroleum issued a proposal for the construction of the Oman-India Multi-Purpose Pipeline (OIMPP), a deep water pipeline system to transport Iranian natural gas via Oman to a receiving terminal on the coast of India's Gujarat state. Costing an estimated $5.6 billion, the 1,600 km pipeline would transport 8 trillion cubic meters over a 20-year period. Citing recent advances in deep-sea pipeline technology, Fox Petroleum's chairman asserted that gas imports to India via OIMPP would be less expensive than India's LNG imports by $1.5–2 per million BTU. The same pipeline system could also be used to transport natural gas from Qatar to India, thereby creating a nexus of Persian Gulf natural gas suppliers oriented toward supplying the world's fast growing major economy. And, as Modi intimated in Ashgabat the potential would even exist for Turkmenistan to export its gas to India across Iran and via the undersea pipeline. Source: <ref name="omanobserver.om" /> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 26 August 1971 | See Iran–Oman relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 August 1971<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 4 March 1976 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 4 March 1976<ref name=":31"/>
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| Template:Flag | 15 January 1982 | See Malaysia–Oman relations
Malaysia and Oman established diplomatic relations on 15 January 1982.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> Since that, bilateral trade between Malaysia and Oman stood at nearly RM500 million during January–October 2010, with Malaysia's main exports to Oman being edible oil, machinery, appliances and parts, wood products, electrical and electronic products. |
| Template:Flag | 31 July 1975 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 July 1975<ref name=":28">Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 15 October 1971 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 October 1971, when Pakistani Consulate-General in Muscat upgraded to Embassy<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref>
The relationship between Islamabad and Muscat is warm, because it is the nearest Arab country to Pakistan and the fact that some 30% of Omanis are of Balochi origin from Pakistan's Balochistan province, having settled in Oman over a hundred years ago. In 1958 Gwadar was part of Oman but was transferred to Pakistan in that year. |
| Template:Flag | 27 June 1972 | See Oman–Qatar relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 June 1972<ref name=":11">Template:Cite book</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 26 September 1985 | See Oman–Russia relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 September 1985<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 14 December 1971 | See Oman–Saudi Arabia relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 December 1971<ref name=":5">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 28 March 1974 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 March 1974<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Republic of Korea-Oman Agreement on the mutual waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official, special and service passports came into effect on 11 April 2015. The agreement allowed citizens of the two countries with valid diplomatic, official, special, or service passports to stay in each other's territories without visa for up to 90 days. The agreement was made to help promote inter-governmental and people-to-people exchanges as well as substantive cooperation between the two countries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 1 April 1973 | See Oman–United Arab Emirates relations
Both countries established full diplomatic relations on 1 April 1973<ref name=":16">Template:Cite book</ref> In December 2010, Oman discovered a spy network operated by the United Arab Emirates which collected information on Oman's military and government. They were reportedly interested in who would replace Qaboos as his heir and about Oman's relations with Iran.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Kuwait mediated in the dispute.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 28 June 1971 | See Oman–United Kingdom relations
Oman established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 21 May 1971.
The UK governed Oman from 1891 until 1951, when Oman achieved full independence.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Both countries share common membership of the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a Comprehensive Agreement on Enduring Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a Double Taxation Agreement,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> an Investment Agreement,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a Mutual Defence Agreement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Both countries are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 17 April 1972 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 April 1972<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref>
See Oman–United States relations In 1974 and April 1983, Sultan Qaboos of Oman made state visits to the United States. Vice President George H. Bush visited Oman in 1984 and 1986, and President Bill Clinton visited briefly in March 2000. Vice President Dick Cheney visited Oman in 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2008. In March 2005, the U.S. and Oman launched negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement that were successfully concluded in October 2005. The FTA was signed on 19 January 2006, and is pending implementation.
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See also
- Iran-Arab Relations (Oman)
- List of diplomatic missions in Oman
- List of diplomatic missions of Oman
- Territorial disputes in the Persian Gulf
- Foreign Ministry (Oman)
References
External links
Template:CIA World Factbook Template:Foreign relations of Oman Template:Foreign relations of Asia