Foreign Minister holds meetings with counterparts in Indian Ocean

Muscat: Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister held meetings today with his counterparts, on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference.

The meetings were held with the following: Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism in the Republic of Sri Lanka, DN Dhungyel, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Kingdom of Bhutan, Miyaji Takuma, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Touhid Hossain, Adviser for Foreign Affairs in the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Dr. Rana Arzu Deuba, Foreign Minister of Nepal and Dr. Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran in addition to Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation(BIMSTEC).

The meetings focused on means of promoting economic and investment relations. They underlined the importance of cooperation in the fields of blue economy, trade, energy and tourism. They also discussed opportunities for expansion in the fields of marine technology, infrastructure, and youth empowerment, in addition to exchanging expertise in natural resource management to ensure their sustainability.

The Foreign Minister also discussed with his counterparts ways to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean region, as a strategic corridor for global trade. The stressed the importance of cooperation to address regional challenges, such as piracy, smuggling and organized crime, in addition to the impact of climate change on the marine environment. The meetings also reviewed the diplomatic efforts to enhance regional stability through dialogue and joint coordination.

During the meetings, Sayyid Badr underscored the Sultanate of Oman's keenness to enhance cooperation with various countries, pointing to the importance of developing partnerships through mutual visits and participation in international events, including Expo 2025 in Osaka, which represents an opportunity to support economic and technological cooperation and enhance the use of modern innovations to achieve sustainable development.