Maldives and Oman Sign Agreements to Strengthen Bilateral Relations
Maldives and Oman have signed two agreements during the official visit of Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abdulla Khaleel, to Oman.
The signing ceremony followed a meeting between Minister Khaleel and his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi. The agreements include an Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption for holders of Diplomatic, Special, Service, and Official Passports, and a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations. At present, Maldivians may travel to Oman without a visa only under specific conditions, such as holding a visa for select other countries.
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The Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that Minister Khaleel and his Omani counterpart discussed the possibility of extending visa-free travel privileges to the general Maldivian public. The Ministry confirmed that a formal request had been submitted to the Omani government on this matter.
The two foreign ministers also explored the prospect of convening the first round of political consultations between the Maldives and Oman at a mutually agreed time. Their discussions focused on strengthening a bilateral relationship that has endured for more than 40 years and examined opportunities for cooperation in trade, tourism, education, and investment promotion.
During his visit, Minister Khaleel held a separate meeting with Oman’s Finance Minister, Sultan bin Salim bin Saeed Al Habsi, to discuss investment opportunities in the Maldives. These discussions encompassed the Maldives’ development policies and strategies for enhancing bilateral ties.
The Foreign Minister also met with Sayyed Asaad bin Tariq Al Said, Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Special Representative of the Sultan. Minister Khaleel expressed gratitude for Oman’s continued support to the Maldives, particularly during challenging times. The meeting emphasised deepening economic collaboration in key areas such as investment, trade, tourism, and fisheries to further elevate the bilateral partnership.
The visit highlights the ongoing commitment of both nations to enhancing cooperation and fostering stronger diplomatic and economic ties.
Foreign Minister Explores Investment Opportunities in Oman
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, Dr Abdulla Khaleel, has met with Omani Minister of Finance Sultan bin Salim bin Said Al Habsi to discuss investment opportunities in the Maldives.
The meeting was part of Dr Khaleel’s official visit to the Sultanate of Oman, which began on 10 December.
According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, the discussions focused on fostering investment, development policies, and strategies to enhance bilateral cooperation. The engagement underscores both nations’ commitment to strengthening their economic ties.
Dr Khaleel’s visit was initiated at the invitation of Oman’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi. In a separate meeting with Minister Albusaidi, Dr Khaleel explored avenues to bolster Maldives-Oman relations, particularly in trade, tourism, education, and investment promotion. Both leaders also discussed enhancing people-to-people connections to sustain and expand their growing partnership.
The Foreign Ministry stated that Dr Khaleel is scheduled to hold further talks with other senior Omani officials to identify new areas for collaboration and deepen existing ties. The visit, which concludes on 13 December, highlights the Maldives’ ongoing efforts to strengthen its relationships in the region.
Accompanying Dr Khaleel on this diplomatic mission are Dr Hala Hameed, Secretary, Bilateral, and Fathimath Naeema, Senior Under Secretary at the Foreign Ministry.
In a social media post, Dr Khaleel described his discussions with Minister Albusaidi as “productive,” noting their shared commitment to advancing historic ties between the Maldives and Oman. “We expressed commitment to deepening Maldives-Oman historic ties and exploring cooperation in key areas such as trade, tourism, education, and investment,” he said.
The visit marks a significant step in the Maldives’ foreign policy efforts to attract investment and promote economic cooperation with Oman and the broader region.
