Muscat – H E Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, received Asaad Hassan al Shaibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, on Sunday as the latter began his first official visit to Oman. H E Sayyid Badr welcomed Shaibani and underscored the strength of the longstanding relations between […]

Muscat – H E Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, received Asaad Hassan al Shaibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, on Sunday as the latter began his first official visit to Oman.

H E Sayyid Badr welcomed Shaibani and underscored the strength of the longstanding relations between the two countries. He noted the shared commitment to supporting and expanding areas of cooperation discussed during the meeting, particularly in political, economic and cultural spheres.

The two ministers also exchanged views on regional and international developments. H E Sayyid Badr reiterated Oman’s support for efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in Syria, while affirming the sultanate’s respect for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Shaibani expressed Syria’s appreciation for Oman’s balanced diplomacy and its constructive role in supporting security and stability in Syria. He said his country looks forward to expanding cooperation and strengthening coordination with Oman in ways that reinforce the mutual interests of both nations.

The meeting was attended by H E Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali al Harthy, Undersecretary for Political Affairs in the Foreign Ministry, and several officials from both sides.

H E Sayyid Badr said Oman supports Syria’s efforts to restore its role and presence on the Arab and international stages, highlighting Syria’s historical and civilisational significance within Oman’s foreign relations.

He described his talks with Shaibani as productive, noting that the visit reinforces the deep-rooted ties between the Omani and Syrian peoples. He expressed confidence in the prospects for further development of bilateral relations.

The ministers agreed to update the existing cooperation framework between the two countries, including resumption of the Omani–Syrian Joint Committee, which will hold its upcoming sessions at ministerial level. They also agreed to review priorities for bilateral cooperation and move forward with signing a set of agreements and memoranda of understanding in the coming period. Senior officials will prepare an executive action plan to advance joint initiatives.

Shaibani described Syrian–Omani relations as historic, grounded in mutual respect and constructive cooperation. He highlighted the cultural and civilisational links that have fostered longstanding communication between the two peoples. He confirmed that both sides agreed to reactivate all existing agreements and establish a joint committee to enhance sectoral cooperation. Technical meetings are expected to begin in the coming months.

High-level diplomacy

In a separate engagement, H E Sayyid Badr received David Haaland, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting reviewed ongoing cooperation and explored ways to strengthen peacebuilding programmes and support dialogue on regional and international issues.

Haaland commended Oman’s constructive role in supporting negotiation processes and promoting stability, expressing the centre’s interest in expanding further cooperation with the sultanate.

H E Sayyid Badr also met Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen, in Muscat. The discussions centered on the critical efforts to support the Yemeni parties in committing to a negotiated path, with the ultimate goal of achieving a sustainable political resolution that ends the crisis and fulfills the Yemeni people’s legitimate aspirations for peace and stability.

Subsequently, in a meeting with Musa al Koni, Vice President of the Libyan Presidential Council, the two sides examined the evolving situation in Libya.

Further reinforcing regional collaboration, H E Sayyid Badr met with Jassem Mohammed al Budaiwi, GCC Secretary-General. Their discussions provided a comprehensive overview of the robust cooperative ties between Oman and the GCC Secretariat General.

The Foreign Minister also met with Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al Khulaifi, Minister of State at the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides undertook a thorough review of the enduring cooperative relations between their nations and identified promising opportunities for their further development across multiple domains.