Foreign relations of Oman

Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists 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. 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.

File:Sixth International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada, Tehran (1).jpg

The Sixth International Conference in support of the Palestinian Intifada, Tehran, 21 February 2017

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.

International disputes

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:

File:Diplomatic relations of Oman.svg
#	Country	Date
1	United Kingdom	Template:Dts
2	India	Template:Dts
3	Iran	Template:Dts
4	Pakistan	Template:Dts
5	Saudi Arabia	Template:Dts
6	Tunisia	Template:Dts
7	Kuwait	Template:Dts
8	Netherlands	Template:Dts
9	France	Template:Dts
10	Italy	Template:Dts
11	Egypt	Template:Dts
12	United States	Template:Dts
13	Japan	Template:Dts
14	Germany	Template:Dts
15	Jordan	Template:Dts
16	Bahrain	Template:Dts
17	Qatar	Template:Dts
18	Spain	Template:Dts
19	Lebanon	Template:Dts
20	Morocco	Template:Dts
21	Finland	Template:Dts
22	United Arab Emirates	Template:Dts
23	Turkey	Template:Dts
24	Switzerland	Template:Dts
25	Greece	Template:Dts
26	Austria	Template:Dts
27	Canada	Template:Dts
28	Sweden	Template:Dts
29	South Korea	Template:Dts
30	Romania	Template:Dts
31	Serbia	Template:Dts
32	Yemen	Template:Dts
33	Belgium	Template:Dts
34	Argentina	Template:Dts
35	Brazil	Template:Dts
36	Algeria	Template:Dts
37	Malta	Template:Dts
38	Bangladesh	Template:Dts
39	Burundi	Template:Dts
40	Mexico	Template:Dts
41	Senegal	Template:Dts
42	Iraq	Template:Dts
43	Chile	Template:Dts
44	Kenya	Template:Dts
45	Nepal	Template:Dts
46	Sudan	Template:Dts
47	Djibouti	Template:Dts
48	Indonesia	Template:Dts
49	Mauritania	Template:Dts
50	China	Template:Dts
51	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Template:Dts
52	Cyprus	Template:Dts
53	Mali	Template:Dts
54	Denmark	Template:Dts
55	Portugal	Template:Dts
56	Gambia	Template:Dts
57	Norway	Template:Dts
58	Thailand	Template:Dts
59	Niger	Template:Dts
60	Luxembourg	Template:Dts
61	Philippines	Template:Dts
62	Somalia	Template:Dts
63	Comoros	Template:Dts
64	Tanzania	Template:Dts
65	Nigeria	Template:Dts
66	Australia	Template:Dts
67	Sri Lanka	Template:Dts
68	Guinea	Template:Dts
69	Maldives	Template:Dts
70	Gabon	Template:Dts
71	Burkina Faso	Template:Dts
72	Malaysia	Template:Dts
73	Zambia	Template:Dts
74	Zimbabwe	Template:Dts
75	Ecuador	Template:Dts
76	Sierra Leone	Template:Dts
77	Seychelles	Template:Dts
78	Brunei	Template:Dts
79	Saint Lucia	Template:Dts
80	Singapore	Template:Dts
81	Colombia	Template:Dts
82	New Zealand	Template:Dts
83	Russia	Template:Dts
84	Peru	Template:Dts
85	Jamaica	Template:Dts
86	Venezuela	Template:Dts
87	Bolivia	Template:Dts
88	Uruguay	Template:Dts
89	Ireland	Template:Dts
90	Syria	Template:Dts
91	Uganda	Template:Dts
92	Chad	Template:Dts
93	Ghana	Template:Dts
—	Template:Country data State of Palestine	Template:Dts
94	Poland	Template:Dts
95	Bulgaria	Template:Dts
96	Hungary	Template:Dts
97	Ivory Coast	Template:Dts
98	Mauritius	Template:Dts
99	Nicaragua	Template:Dts
100	Iceland	Template:Dts
101	Uzbekistan	Template:Dts
102	Mongolia	Template:Dts
103	Kazakhstan	Template:Dts
104	Kyrgyzstan	Template:Dts
105	Ukraine	Template:Dts
106	North Korea	Template:Dts
107	Turkmenistan	Template:Dts
108	Vietnam	Template:Dts
109	Moldova	Template:Dts
110	Armenia	Template:Dts
111	Azerbaijan	Template:Dts
112	Belarus	Template:Dts
113	Guinea-Bissau	Template:Dts
114	Lithuania	Template:Dts
115	Estonia	Template:Dts
116	Albania	Template:Dts
117	Latvia	Template:Dts
118	Czech Republic	Template:Dts
119	Slovakia	Template:Dts
120	Mozambique	Template:Dts
121	Guatemala	Template:Dts
122	Panama	Template:Dts
123	Eritrea	Template:Dts
124	Cuba	Template:Dts
125	Ethiopia	Template:Dts
126	South Africa	Template:Dts
127	Slovenia	Template:Dts
128	Template:Country data North Macedonia	Template:Dts
129	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Template:Dts
130	Guyana	Template:Dts
131	Croatia	Template:Dts
132	São Tomé and Príncipe	Template:Dts
133	Rwanda	Template:Dts
134	Cameroon	Template:Dts
135	Suriname	Template:Dts
136	Laos	Template:Dts
137	Afghanistan	Template:Dts
138	Paraguay	Template:Dts
139	Angola	Template:Dts
140	Belize	Template:Dts
141	Cape Verde	Template:Dts
142	Antigua and Barbuda	Template:Dts
143	Montenegro	Template:Dts
144	Tajikistan	Template:Dts
145	Costa Rica	Template:Dts
146	Andorra	Template:Dts
147	El Salvador	Template:Dts
148	Template:Country data Georgia	Template:Dts
149	Cambodia	Template:Dts
150	Dominican Republic	Template:Dts
151	Fiji	Template:Dts
152	Myanmar	Template:Dts
—	Kosovo	Template:Dts
153	Monaco	Template:Dts
154	Bhutan	Template:Dts
155	Eswatini	Template:Dts
156	South Sudan	Template:Dts
157	Madagascar	Template:Dts
158	Malawi	Template:Dts
159	Togo	Template:Dts
160	Namibia	Template:Dts
161	Benin	Template:Dts
162	San Marino	Template:Dts
163	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Template:Dts
164	Timor-Leste	Template:Dts
165	Bahamas	Template:Dts
—	Holy See	Template:Dts
166	Trinidad and Tobago	Template:Dts
167	Solomon Islands	Template:Dts
168	Vanuatu	Template:Dts
169	Liechtenstein	Template:Dts
170	Tonga	Template:Dts
171	Equatorial Guinea	Template:Dts
172	Kiribati	Template:Dts
173	Nauru	Template:Dts
174	Saint Kitts and Nevis	Template:Dts
175	Botswana	Template:Dts
176	Libya	Unknown

Bilateral relations

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Azerbaijan	13 July 1992	The Sultanate of Oman recognized the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan from the Soviet Union on 30 December 1991. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 July 1992
Brunei	24 March 1984	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 March 1984 See Brunei–Oman relations Brunei has an embassy in Muscat, and Oman has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. 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.
Canada	2 February 1974	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 February 1974 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.
China	25 May 1978	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 May 1978 China has an embassy in Muscat. Oman has an embassy in Beijing. In June 2020, Oman was one of 53 countries that backed the Hong Kong national security law at the United Nations.
Egypt	27 November 1972	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 November 1972 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.
	16 May 1972	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 May 1972 See Germany–Oman relations Germany has an embassy in Muscat. Oman has an embassy in Berlin.
India	25 July 1971	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 July 1971, when Level of Indian representation raised to Embassy 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. $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. 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:
Iran	26 August 1971	See Iran–Oman relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 August 1971
Kenya	4 March 1976	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 4 March 1976 See Kenya–Oman relations Kenya has an embassy in Muscat. Oman has an embassy in Nairobi.
Malaysia	15 January 1982	See Malaysia–Oman relations Malaysia and Oman established diplomatic relations on 15 January 1982. 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.
Mexico	31 July 1975	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 July 1975 See Mexico–Oman relations Mexico is accredited to Oman from its embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and maintains an honorary consulate in Muscat. Oman is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States and maintains an honorary consulate in Mexico City.
Pakistan	15 October 1971	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 October 1971, when Pakistani Consulate-General in Muscat upgraded to Embassy See Oman–Pakistan relations 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.
Qatar	27 June 1972	See Oman–Qatar relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 June 1972 Oman has an embassy in Doha. Qatar has an embassy in Muscat.
Russia	26 September 1985	See Oman–Russia relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 September 1985 Oman has an embassy Moscow. Russia has an embassy in Muscat.
Saudi Arabia	14 December 1971	See Oman–Saudi Arabia relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 December 1971 Oman has an embassy in Riyadh and a consulate in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Muscat.
South Korea	28 March 1974	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 March 1974 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.
United Arab Emirates	1 April 1973	See Oman–United Arab Emirates relations Both countries established full diplomatic relations on 1 April 1973 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. Kuwait mediated in the dispute.
United Kingdom	28 June 1971	See Oman–United Kingdom relations File:Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets Haitham bin Tariq, the Sultan of Oman for a bilateral meeting in 10 Downing Street, London, United Kingdom 6 August 2024 - 2.jpg Omani Sultanate Haitham bin Tariq with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in 10 Downing Street, August 2024. Oman established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 21 May 1971. Oman maintains an embassy in London. The United Kingdom is accredited to Oman through its embassy in Muscat. The UK governed Oman from 1891 until 1951, when Oman achieved full independence. Both countries share common membership of the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a Comprehensive Agreement on Enduring Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation, a Double Taxation Agreement, an Investment Agreement, and a Mutual Defence Agreement. Both countries are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement.
United States	17 April 1972	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 April 1972 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. Oman has an embassy in Washington, D.C. United States has an embassy in Muscat.

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)

External links

• Foreign Ministry of Oman Template:Webarchive