Oman King’s First Visit to Saudi Arabia... Discussions on Economy and Yemen War

Expected Shift in Neutral Policy Between Saudi and Iran
Focus on Middle East Diplomatic Changes Amid Saudi-UAE Oil Dispute

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] His Majesty Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Sultan of Oman, visited Saudi Arabia as his first overseas trip since his accession. Amid escalating diplomatic disputes caused by conflicts over oil policies between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), traditional allies in the Middle East, attention is focused on the close diplomatic ties between Oman, which has advocated a neutral policy in the region, and Saudi Arabia.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press on the 11th (local time), Sultan Haitham arrived in Neom, a Red Sea coastal city in Saudi Arabia, to begin his visit. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, welcomed Sultan Haitham at the airport. On the same day, Sultan Haitham is expected to meet King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia to discuss economic cooperation and the Yemen civil war.

This marks Sultan Haitham’s first official overseas trip since his accession in January last year. Oman has maintained a neutral diplomatic stance between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the main regional powers in the Middle East, avoiding alignment with either side. However, this visit is understood to be aimed at forming closer ties with Saudi Arabia.

Major foreign media quoted a senior Omani official saying, "The two countries will establish a joint committee to sign several agreements." Currently, Oman is suffering from severe economic difficulties, including unemployment and national debt issues, and is believed to have requested cooperation from Saudi Arabia. Last year, Oman’s national debt reportedly exceeded 80% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Some analysts interpret this as a response to the sudden shift in Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy, which has recently caused friction with its traditional ally, the UAE. Ayman Kamel, Middle East expert at the international political consulting firm Eurasia Group, told Bloomberg News in an interview, "Following the normalization of diplomatic relations with Qatar in January and a meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister in March, Saudi Arabia is conducting extensive behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts, including forming close ties with Oman. If the dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE continues, significant changes in diplomatic relations in the Middle East are expected."

Meanwhile, Oman is an Ibadi Muslim country that traditionally does not belong to either the Sunni Islam led by Saudi Arabia or the Shia Islam led by Iran. Oman has historically played a mediating role between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Known as the "Switzerland of the Middle East," Oman has often taken on mediation roles whenever conflicts arise in the region and has been a favored venue for major talks. In particular, Oman has continuously mediated the ongoing civil war between the Saudi-led Arab coalition and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, which has lasted for over six years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.