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.

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 trust, cordiality, and historical legacy shared by their leaders and peoples constitute a powerful driver for building a future of greater cohesion and prosperity.

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, and in a common vision for a future defined by enhanced security, stability, and development. 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 between the two leaderships on a wide array of regional and international issues.

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 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in June 2021 – his first official overseas visit after assuming the reins of power—in response to an invitation from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. 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 further noted that the official visit of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the Sultanate of Oman in December 2021, followed by his private visit in September 2023, underscored the depth of joint coordination, strengthened consultations on regional and international matters, and contributed to reinforcing the region’s security and stability.

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—alongside sustained engagements among the ministers and officials across diverse fields. These interactions reflect an advanced level of understanding and coordination, paving the way toward a more integrated future that serves the interests of both nations and their peoples, he added.

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 – thereby reinforcing regional security and stability and supporting pathways to development and prosperity.

He underscored that the bilateral relationship extends well beyond the political dimension into broader horizons encompassing economy, investment, trade, tourism, culture, and media. This expanding scope opens the door to a new phase of partnership and integration, enhancing the shared interests of the two peoples. 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 – including those emanating from Saudi Vision 2030 and Oman Vision 2040 – thereby contributing to economic integration and sustainable development.

He added that the relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman constitutes a fundamental pillar in supporting the Gulf Cooperation Council framework, reflecting both countries’ commitment to strengthening regional stability and harmonizing political and economic positions in a manner that serves the interests of the peoples of the region.

He also highlighted the opening of a Saudi Public Investment Fund office in the Sultanate of 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 the Sultanate of Oman in a manner that reflects the depth of bilateral relations, citing official statistics that indicate notable growth in trade volume over recent years.

The Ambassador added that in 2025, Saudi direct investment in the Sultanate of 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 enhanced by the opening of the Empty Quarter border crossing on 11 December 2021, as the first direct land port between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman, extending approximately 564 kilometers. This development marked a qualitative leap in trade movement, with the border crossing recording a remarkable growth in trade volume in 2025, valued at approximately RO 1.322 billion, compared to approximately RO 1.051 billion in 2021 – representing roughly 58 percent of total bilateral trade – while also facilitating transit between the two nations.

He further noted that the number of cross-border travelers through the border crossing from October 2021 through the end of December 2025 reached approximately 135,902 Saudi citizens, 640,260 Omani citizens, and 744,262 individuals comprising Gulf and Arab nationals, residents and visitors.

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, as well as joint tourism initiatives aimed at developing tourists in both countries through exchange destination programs and collaborative marketing strategies.

He stated that investment indicators reflect the strength of the economic relations between the two countries. Saudi investment in the Sultanate of Oman reached RO 82.69 million by 2024, while Omani investment in the Kingdom stood at RO 115.9 million over the same period.

Statistics issued by the National Center 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 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia totaled approximately RO 547.6 million, while Omani imports from the Kingdom amounted to approximately RO 538.6 million.

The total bilateral trade volume for 2025 was approximately RO 2.4754 billion, of which the Kingdom’s imports from the Sultanate of Oman accounted for RO 1.2179 billion, while the Sultanate’s exports to the Kingdom stood at RO 1.2574 billion.

Statistics further indicate that the number of Saudi visitors to the Sultanate of Oman up to the end of August 2026 reached 80,917, while in 2025 the total stood at approximately 116,880 Saudi visitors.