Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin attended the signing of an agreement, a protocol, and nine memoranda of understanding at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow. This significant visit coincided with the 40th anniversary of Oman Russia diplomatic relations, which were established on September 26, 1985. His Majesty Sultan Haitham met with President Putin to discuss trade, investment, cultural exchange, and various regional and international issues, showcasing Oman’s growing diplomatic influence.
Pacts cover diverse areas of cooperation
The agreements encompassed several key areas, including a mutual visa waiver agreement and an economic and technical cooperation protocol aimed at establishing a joint economic committee between the governments of Oman and the Russian Federation. Additionally, memoranda of understanding were signed on climate change and low-carbon development, transport and transit, and cooperation in combating money laundering and terrorist financing between Oman’s National Centre for Financial Information and Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service.
Further memoranda were executed on fisheries cooperation between Oman’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources and Russia’s Federal Agency for Fisheries. Other areas of collaboration included news and information exchange between Oman’s Ministry of Information, represented by the Oman News Agency, and the media group Rossiya Segodnya; cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy of Oman and the Diplomatic Academy of Russia; media partnerships between the Ministry of Information and Russia Today TV; and collaborations between the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Russia’s Roscongress Foundation. Administrative cooperation was also established between the Royal Academy of Management and the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
These agreements were signed by key Omani officials, including Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Foreign Minister; Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion; Hamoud bin Salim al Tuwaih, Oman’s Ambassador to Russia; and Col Abdulrahman bin Amer al Kiyoumi, CEO of the National Centre for Financial Information, representing the Omani government.
Visa-free travel benefits
The mutual visa exemption agreement for ordinary passport holders was a highlight of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s visit to Moscow. This visa waiver, one of ten significant agreements signed during the visit, will enable citizens of both countries to travel visa-free for up to 30 days per visit, with a maximum of 90 days per year.
Read more: Oman offers visa-free travel to 103 countries
Joint postage stamp celebrates historical ties
In conjunction with His Majesty’s state visit to the Russian Federation, Oman Post, in collaboration with Russian Post, announced an initiative to issue a joint postage stamp celebrating the enduring historical ties between the two friendly nations. This effort aims to strengthen cooperation and expand partnership opportunities in areas of mutual interest.
Furthermore, Oman Post introduced a commemorative stamp featuring a unique artistic design to mark four decades of Oman Russia diplomatic relations. This stamp highlights the robust economic and cultural bonds between the two countries, symbolizing friendship and mutual understanding.
The stamp’s design draws inspiration from the shared maritime heritage of both nations, portraying two prominent 15th-century figures who played pivotal roles in advancing navigation and geographical knowledge: the renowned Omani explorer Ahmed bin Majid Al-Saadi, known for his contributions to the study of seas and geographical locations—including the Caspian Sea and the city of Derbent—and the Russian merchant and traveler Afanasy Nikitin, the first Russian to visit the Arabian Peninsula. Nikitin documented his attendance at an Easter Mass in Muscat, reflecting the religious tolerance and cultural openness for which Oman has been historically known.
This initiative underscores both nations’ commitment to enhancing cooperation in postal services and related activities, contributing to deeper bilateral relations and opening new avenues for joint collaboration.
