Jordan’s ambassador to Oman highlights importance of Sultan Haitham visit to Kingdom

AMMAN — Jordan's Ambassador to Oman Amjad Kuhewi stressed the importance of the upcoming state visit of Oman Sultan Haitham Bin Tariq, which will begin on Wednesday at the invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah.

The visit is meant to enhance cooperation between the two countries and address key bilateral, regional, and international issues, mainly the Israeli war against Gaza, according to the Jordan news agency, Petra.

Kuhewi highlighted the progress made in political, economic, cultural, and social relations between Jordan and Oman under the leadership of King Abdullah and Sultan Haitham.

He also pointed to the reciprocal visits that have strengthened these ties, including King Abdullah's visit to Oman in 2022, which underscored the ongoing consultation and coordination between the two countries.

“Jordan and Oman see eye to eye on several regional and international issues,” the envoy said, praising Oman’s diplomatic efforts to promote regional security, peace, and stability, and its commitment to resolving conflicts through negotiation and peaceful means, bringing conflicting parties closer together.

Trade between the Kingdom and Oman increased by 21.7 per cent in 2023 compared with 2022, he said, noting that the trade volume reached $155.3 million by the end of 2023, up from $127.6 million in 2022.

Kuhewi added that Jordanian exports to Oman totalled $82.3 million in 2023, an increase of 17 per cent from $70.2 million in 2022, while imports from Oman million reached $73 by the end of 2023, an increase of 27per cent from $57.4 million in 2022.

Referring to the Jordan-Oman Joint Committee regular meetings, he said that the most recent meeting, the 11th, was recently held in Amman and was chaired by the foreign ministers of both countries.

He also said the two countries have signed five memoranda of understanding and executive programs in areas such as industrial zones, education and youth cooperation, consumer protection, and environmental management, adding that the 12th meeting of the committee is due to be held in Muscat shortly.

He also highlighted the role of joint parliamentary friendship committees in promoting consultation and cooperation on legislative and bilateral issues.

Expressing optimism that Sultan Haitham's visit would open new avenues for cooperation, particularly in the economic field, Kuhewi said economic relations gained significant momentum following the visit of King Abdullah to Oman in October 2022.

This led to the formation of a joint Jordanian-Omani working group to explore investment and economic cooperation opportunities. Since then, business delegations have exchanged visits and a joint action plan has been agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of information technology, food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, mining and telecommunications, he added.

Kuhewi highlighted the common challenges related to regional security and international events, numerous security challenges in the region, including national security, stability and development, and cited the recent “brutal” Israeli war on Gaza as evidence of these threats.

He also added that both Jordan and Oman have denounced the aggression in all forums and on all global platforms, reaffirming their full solidarity with the Palestinians and support for their resilience.