MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Türkiye held an official session of expanded talks at Al Alam Palace on Thursday.
At the outset of the session, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik extended a renewed welcome to the esteemed President and the distinguished accompanying delegation, expressing his profound pride in the enduring relations that unite the two nations, delivering an address which stated: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
It is with immense pleasure that we extend our welcome to Your Excellency and your accompanying delegation in your second home, the Sultanate of Oman. We deeply value the personal commitment of Your Excellency and your government towards advancing the strategic partnership between the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Türkiye.
We likewise seize this auspicious occasion to reaffirm the profound historical relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Türkiye, as we look forward to enhancing these bonds across all dimensions and fields of vital interest to our two nations.
Your Excellency's current visit builds directly upon the constructive dialogue and substantive consultations we held during our visit to Ankara last November. We wish to express our profound satisfaction with the discussions we have undertaken and with our strategic partnership, which through that previous engagement, we successfully elevated to a new and promising chapter.
We observe with considerable satisfaction the notable advancement of commercial and investment relations between the Republic of Türkiye and the Sultanate of Oman, which have demonstrated commendable progress in recent years. This constructive evolution is manifest in the expanding trade volume between our two nations and the formal establishment of the joint investment fund — an initiative that will undoubtedly serve to fortify the strategic partnership between our countries.
We maintain a shared aspiration to realise our mutual vision of elevating bilateral trade volume to $5 billion in the coming years. Furthermore, the recent removal of entry visa requirements for Turkish citizens visiting our nation will unquestionably stimulate tourism exchange and facilitate the entry of Turkish business leaders seeking to advance their commercial undertakings.
Mr President, we urge all relevant institutions across both our nations, encompassing both public and private sectors, to sustain their dedicated efforts in exploring partnership opportunities and enabling our business communities to capitalise on promising commercial and investment prospects. These collaborative endeavours shall yield mutual benefits that will significantly contribute to the welfare, stability and prosperity of our two countries.
Our bilateral relations represent a dynamic paradigm of fruitful cooperation. Turkish enterprises have consistently demonstrated pioneering leadership in supporting infrastructure and development initiatives throughout the Sultanate of Oman. Concurrently, Omani investments in the Republic of Türkiye reflect our profound confidence in the robustness of the Turkish economy and the constructive partnerships flourishing between our private sectors.
We therefore regard with considerable optimism the promising prospects for enhanced collaboration across diverse sectors, including manufacturing industries, defence industries, logistics, tourism, and other vital fields that will contribute significantly to the economic diversification of both our nations. Several agreements and memoranda of understanding are scheduled for signing immediately following this session.
While we earnestly aspire to strengthen collaboration between our educational institutions to advance research and innovation in technology, healthcare and food security, we simultaneously affirm the vital importance of sustaining cultural cooperation, which serves to enrich mutual understanding and promote civilisational exchange between our peoples.
Mr President, our two nations share a steadfast commitment to advancing peace and stability. We hold in high regard the continuous endeavours to strengthen regional cooperation and wish to express our profound appreciation for Türkiye's principled positions on critical matters affecting our region. We maintain our unwavering dedication to achieving a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian cause, founded upon the two-state solution and international law.
Furthermore, we commend Your Excellency's instrumental role in ending the genocidal military campaign conducted by Israel against the Gaza Strip, which culminated in the ceasefire agreement reached in Sharm el Sheikh, in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Mr President, we renew our profound appreciation and welcome as we commemorate the distinguished historical bonds and civilisational connection between our two nations, while exploring further avenues for constructive cooperation that shall bring prosperity and advancement to our peoples. We extend our sincere wishes for a most pleasant stay to you and your distinguished delegation.
We convey our heartfelt aspirations for the friendly Turkish people's continued progress and flourishing.
We thank you, Your Excellency the President.
May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.
For his part, the President of the Republic of Türkiye expressed his profound gratitude and deep appreciation to His Majesty the Sultan for the gracious reception and generous hospitality. He emphasised the enduring strength of the historical relations and fraternal bonds connecting the two nations.
President Erdogan noted that His Majesty the Sultan's visit to Türkiye in November of the previous year represented a significant milestone in advancing bilateral relations, expressing his confidence that his current visit to the Sultanate of Oman would further consolidate cooperation and open expansive new horizons across multiple sectors.
He elaborated that during the frank and cordial talks with His Majesty, perspectives were exchanged on the Palestinian cause — a matter of profound concern to the entire Islamic world — as well as current regional and international developments, noting the convergence of the two countries' views on these critical issues.
The President further affirmed that both nations are collaboratively working to strengthen humanitarian and cultural ties between their peoples. He announced the Republic of Türkiye's decision to exempt Omani citizens from entry visa requirements, while simultaneously expressing gratitude for the Sultanate of Oman's reciprocal visa exemption for Turkish citizens. This mutual arrangement, he noted, will significantly enhance cooperation in trade, investment and tourism. He also conveyed appreciation for the Omani government's support of the Yunus Emre Institute's activities in Muscat and expressed confidence that the Turkish Maarif Foundation School, scheduled to open in 2028, would substantially strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and friendship between the two countries.
The session explored means of boosting the Omani-Turkish partnership, particularly in the areas of investment, trade exchange, media, industry, energy, technology, maritime and land transport, in a manner that serves the interests of the two peoples. The two leaders also exchanged views on the regional developments.
The session was attended from the Omani side by HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs; HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth; Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal al Busaidy, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court; Gen Sultan bin Mohammed al Numani, Minister of the Royal Office; Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister; Sultan bin Salim al Habsi, Minister of Finance; Dr Hamed bin Said al Aufi, Head of Private Office of His Majesty the Sultan; Abdulsalam bin Mohammed al Murshidi, Chairman of Oman Investment Authority; Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (Head of the Mission of Honour); Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals; and Saif bin Rashid al Jahwari, Ambassador of Oman to Türkiye.
Meanwhile, it was attended from the Turkish side by Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, son of the President; Hakan Fidan, Foreign Minister; Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources; Yasar Guler, Minister of Defence; Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology; Omer Bolat, Minister of Trade; Mehmet Hakimoğlu, Ambassador of Türkiye to Oman, and several officials. — ONA
GRAPH POINTS
1. Removal of visa requirements for Turkish/Omani citizens to stimulate tourism
2. Joint investment fund will fortify the strategic partnership
3. Enhanced tie-ups in manufacturing, defence industries, logistics, tourism
4. HM commends Erdogan's role in the Sharm el Sheikh ceasefire agreement
5. Erdogan appreciates Omani government's support of the Yunus Emre Institute
6. Turkish Maarif Foundation School opening in 2028 to strengthen friendship
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