The state visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to the Republic of Belarus this Monday and his meeting with President Alexander Lukashenko represent a new milestone in the relations between the two friendly nations.
Relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Belarus have witnessed continuous development and rapprochement since their diplomatic establishment on 23 July 1992.
The official visit of the President of Belarus to Oman in December 2024 marked a stage for enhancing cooperation and partnership between the two friendly countries.
In terms of trade exchange, base metals and their manufactures, along with electrical machinery and equipment, topped the list of imported goods. Imports of precision instruments and appliances, particularly in optics, photography, medicine, and surgery, also featured prominently, clearly indicating support for technical and health sectors. Regarding exports, plant-based products held a significant position, reflecting the diversity of local production and the enhancement of its competitiveness in regional and global markets.
Hamoud bin Salim al Tuwaih, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Russian Federation and non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of Belarus, affirmed that the visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to Belarus is a historical event, being the first official visit by His Majesty the Sultan to this friendly country.
He pointed out that Omani-Belarusian relations will witness a qualitative leap, propelled by His Majesty's historic visit towards developing cooperation and achieving the common interests of both countries in line with their national strategies.
The ambassador noted that relations between Oman and Belarus have seen significant developments in recent years, evidenced by several high-level visits. In October 2024, high-level talks were held between officials of both countries in Muscat, resulting in the signing of three memoranda of understanding for cooperation in competition protection, monopoly prevention, consumer protection, and information exchange in the securities market.
Oman and Belarus have signed several agreements, such as those on air transport services to organize operational and technical aspects of air services between the two countries, encouragement and protection of investment, economic and commercial cooperation, a memorandum of understanding for political consultations, double taxation avoidance, visa waiver for holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports, and cooperation between chambers of commerce and industry."
He emphasized that the Republic of Belarus possesses a diverse industrial base encompassing heavy industry, agricultural machinery, and information technology, noting that the private sector in Belarus is encouraged to benefit from cooperation with its Omani counterpart, expand its base of commercial partners, and access the large markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the emerging markets in Asia and Africa connected by million shipping lines to Omani ports.
He touched on the ongoing cooperation between the National Museum of Oman and Belarusian museums, including the signing of an agreement to establish the “Arabic Language Culture Center” in 2016 within the structure of Minsk State University.
The center typically sends students to study Arabic at Sultan Qaboos University. A memorandum of understanding in the field of heritage and culture was also signed in Muscat on April 1, 2018, and another between the National Museum of Oman and the Museum of Natural History in Belarus in March 2018.
The ambassador pointed to numerous opportunities that both sides can explore to enhance trade volume and stimulate economic and investment activity. These include establishing partnerships for technology transfer from Belarus to Oman, setting up joint projects and factories focusing on knowledge-based industries and heavy industries such as medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and electronics.
It also highlighted cooperation in the tourism sector, with opportunities being explored to promote medical, industrial, and regular tourism between the two countries, and expanding investment in logistics, ports, and free commercial zones in Oman to make it a re-export hub to Africa and Asia, leveraging Oman’s geographical location. This is in addition to developing agricultural cooperation and food security, including projects for producing infant formula and dairy products, and cooperation in agricultural, fisheries, livestock, and water resources.
Dr. Abdullah bin Masoud al Harthy, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Belarus to Oman, said that Belarus is a promising economic and investment partner.
He added that Belarus looks to Oman as a gateway to export its products to various world countries, noting its promising investment opportunities in industry, real estate development, education, health, food security, and timber.
Faisal bin Abdullah Al Rowas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the state visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to Belarus embodies the wise leadership's keenness to expand horizons of international cooperation and enhance economic partnerships with various world countries, especially as both sides emphasized during the visit of President Alexander Lukashenko last December the importance of developing partnership in economic fields.
He added that the joint investment opportunities between the two friendly countries are numerous, including pharmaceutical industries and medical technology, manufacturing industries, agriculture and food security, education and vocational training, renewable energy, information technology, innovation, tourism, education, healthcare, transport, logistics, and joint projects for equipment assembly in Oman.
He affirmed that the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry is working to encourage the business community to benefit from available opportunities and enhance communication between Omani and Belarusian companies to establish strategic partnerships of mutual benefit, solidifying Oman's position as an attractive trade and investment destination.
He noted that the Chamber has, in recent years, dispatched and received four trade delegations between Oman and Belarus, involving direct bilateral meetings between business owners from both sides, alongside field visits by several Omani and Belarusian companies to explore available investment opportunities.
He pointed out that among these milestones was the Chamber's participation in an official meeting with the Prime Minister of Belarus, which provided an important opportunity to discuss means of enhancing trade and economic relations and opening wider horizons for cooperation in investment and trade exchange.
Aziz bin Salim Al Hasani, Chief Technology Officer at Oman National Engineering and Investment Company (ONEIC), said that technology and artificial intelligence form a key element for economic cooperation between Oman and Belarus, given Belarus's advanced expertise in supercomputing software, information security, and AI applications in education and industry.
He added that Oman, in general, and ONEIC in particular, adopt a strategy for digital transformation and creating a supportive legislative and technical environment for the knowledge economy, making the integration of the two experiences a strategic opportunity to create shared economic value.
He indicated that cooperation in AI could open wide prospects in multiple sectors like digital financial services, smart cities, smart agriculture, and healthcare by leveraging Belarus's expertise in developing smart algorithms for big data analysis and linking them with Oman's initiatives in e-government and the financial sector, thereby enhancing service efficiency and providing innovative solutions for Omani citizens.
He explained that joint investment in specialized research and development centers for emerging technologies (like AI, IoT, Blockchain) could contribute to knowledge transfer and localizing technical capabilities within Oman, alongside providing quality job opportunities for youth. With the investment incentives offered by Belarus and its position as a gateway to European markets, Oman can build technical and economic bridges, positioning itself as a leading regional center for AI applications and digital transformation.
Anees bin Reda bin Qamar Sultan, Board Member of the Oman European Food Industries Company, told ONA that Belarus has invested significantly in its IT and programming sector, which now constitutes a substantial part of its national economy. Therefore, it is important for Oman to study the steps and drivers behind this economic boom, which has helped transform a state previously reliant on a traditional economy like agriculture and machinery manufacturing into a strong digital and technological economy.
He added that the visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik is expected to open investment opportunities for the Omani private sector and businesspeople through entering commercial partnerships with the Belarusian side in several economic sectors, such as the IT sector.
Faisal bin Alawi al Dheeb, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Mamlaka Investment Services, affirmed that the visit represents a strategic step carrying significant economic dimensions and will provide fertile ground for signing agreements and memoranda of understanding that enhance mutual trust and propel cooperation forward in various fields.
He stated that Belarus possesses an advanced industrial base and extensive expertise in technology and agriculture, aligning with Oman's goals for economic diversification. The upcoming phase will witness joint projects supporting Oman's position as a regional economic center, whether through manufacturing industries, investment in modern technology, or enhancing food security, alongside developing medical tourism, which has become a promising sector in Belarus, opening vast prospects for Omani investors.
He pointed to a strong desire from the Belarusian side to enhance partnerships with Oman, particularly in industry, technology, agriculture, and medical tourism. He noted that the Belarusian market is viewed as a strategic destination that can provide added value for the Omani investor, whether through expertise exchange, technology transfer, or opening new channels for export and import.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
