Saudi Crown Prince visits Gulf states ahead of GCC summit
First destination of tour, Oman, to be followed by Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait The visit is a reflection of the ‘time-honored and historical’ ties between the two Gulf countries.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman kicked off his tour of the Gulf Cooperation Council states on Monday with a visit to Oman.
The crown prince was met by the Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tarik in the capital Muscat upon arrival. The two leaders are expected to discuss regional issues and bilateral relations.
The visit aims to build on the talks that the sultan held with King Salman during his visit to the Kingdom in July.
On the agenda are issues of mutual concern and ways to promote the interests of the Kingdom and Oman, as well as “fulfill the aspirations and hopes” of their respective peoples.
The Omani news agency ONA described the visit as a reflection of the “time-honored and historical” ties between the two Gulf countries.
The last official visit the crown prince paid was before the onset of the coronavirus disease pandemic, to the UAE, back in November 2019, where he met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al- Nahyan to discuss regional issues and bilateral relations.
The five-day GCC tour will include visits to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait.
The visit to Oman is an “affirmation of the ties of fraternity and kinship, and the historical relations binding the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” ONA said, adding both countries “are set for a new stage of economic and investment cooperation in all fields.”
During the crown prince’s visit, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed 13 memorandums of understanding with Oman through vari
ous sectors, worth $10 billion.
According to ONA, Mulhim Al-Jarf, acting vice president of the Oman Investment Authority, said that the signing of the MoU’s comes in light of the developments and transformational trends in the two brotherly countries. He said that it also represents an opportunity for the two parties to invest in promising sectors and establish diverse partnerships.