Saudi Gazette report

ALULA — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi chaired the second meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council in Al-Ula on Thursday.

The council meeting affirmed the close historical ties between the Kingdom and the Sultanate, and that is in implementation of the directives of the leaders of the two countries.

In his address to the meeting, Prince Faisal expressed his appreciation for the efforts made to strengthen Saudi-Oman relations, which are proceeding under the care and keenness of the leaderships of the two countries with steady steps towards consolidating cooperation and enhancing the regional and international role. “This contributes to establishing security and stability in the region, and achieving the aspirations of the people of the two countries,” he said while stressing that the agreement of views on all issues between the Kingdom and the Sultanate demonstrates the importance of continuous coordination on bilateral, regional and international issues,” he said.

For his part, the Omani minister stressed in his speech that the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council represents a strategic platform that embodies the will of the two wise leaderships to enhance bilateral cooperation. “Enhancing cooperation between the two countries is not limited to serving their common interests, but extends to contribute to achieving regional stability and prosperity, especially in light of the current challenges that require intensifying diplomatic and economic coordination,” he said.

Sayyid Badr bin Hamad congratulated Saudi Arabia on winning the bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. “This achievement reflects the ambitious vision of the Kingdom's leadership, and a new global achievement that enhances the Kingdom's record full of honorable achievements at the regional and international levels,” he said.

Following the meeting, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by the Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies, and the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by the Diplomatic Academy, in the fields of diplomatic studies and training. It was signed by the Undersecretary of the Saudi Ministry for Political Affairs Ambassador Saud Al-Sati, and Undersecretary of the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Issa Al-Harthi.