Minister holds bilateral meetings on sidelines of Indian Ocean Conference
Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi held a series of bilateral meetings today with several of his counterparts on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat.
The meetings included discussions with Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, External Affairs, and Tourism of Sri Lanka; DN Dhungyel, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Kingdom of Bhutan; Miyaji Takuma, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan; Touhid Hossain, Foreign Affairs Adviser of the People's Republic of Bangladesh; Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nepal; Abbas Araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran; and Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary-General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
The discussions focused on strengthening economic and investment relations, highlighting the importance of cooperation in the blue economy, trade, energy, and tourism. Opportunities for expansion in maritime technology, infrastructure, and youth empowerment were also explored, alongside exchanges of expertise in natural resource management to ensure sustainability.
The meetings also addressed ways to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean, a vital global trade route. The discussions emphasised the need for cooperation to tackle regional challenges such as piracy, smuggling, and organised crime, as well as the impact of climate change on the marine environment. Diplomatic efforts to promote regional stability through dialogue and coordinated action were also reviewed.
Oman's Foreign Minister reaffirmed the Sultanate’s commitment to fostering cooperation with various countries, stressing the importance of strengthening partnerships through reciprocal visits and participation in international events.
He highlighted Expo 2025 Osaka as an opportunity to support economic and technological collaboration and leverage modern innovations for sustainable development.
This is an unofficial English version of an Arabic report. To view the official Arabic text, click here.