London— Stephen Doughty, UK Minister of State for the Middle East has affirmed that the Royal visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to the United Kingdom constitutes a celebration of the deeply rooted ties that have bound the two friendly countries for many centuries. He noted that the official reception ceremony and the state banquet, which brought His Majesty the Sultan together with King Charles III of the United Kingdom, reflected the depth of these historic relations.
In an interview with Oman News Agency (ONA), the minister explained that one of the key pillars of this Royal visit is the economic dimension, noting that His Majesty the Sultan has set an ambitious agenda for the Sultanate of Oman that aligns with the United Kingdom's equally ambitious agenda in the fields of economy and modern technologies.
He emphasised that the visit focuses in particular on areas such as strategic minerals, renewable energy, and emerging technologies including artificial intelligence and space technology. He indicated that new partnerships are being forged between the Sultanate of Oman and the United Kingdom across all these domains, describing the Royal Visit as "exceptional" in that it honours the past while simultaneously focusing on the future.
He noted that the United Kingdom is likewise looking to the future with regard to people-to-people ties between the two friendly nations in the field of education, expressing his pleasure at announcing the resumption of the Chevening Scholarship programme between the Sultanate of Oman and the United Kingdom.
The minister touched upon the discussions held during the Royal Visit concerning the enhancement of cooperation between universities in the Sultanate of Oman and the United Kingdom in future technologies across the fields of renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and space technology. He affirmed that these are the very technologies in which the world needs leadership, and that the United Kingdom and the Sultanate of Oman can achieve this together.
The UK Minister of State for the Middle East added: "It is important to focus on the future, as there are clearly areas in which we work closely together with respect to defence and regional security," emphasising that the Sultanate of Oman plays a diplomatically vital role at a time when the region is experiencing tensions and security disruptions.
He stated that the Sultanate of Oman and the United Kingdom have stood side by side for decades during times of similar turbulence, and that there is intensive cooperation in the defence and security domains of both countries, as well as joint diplomatic efforts to find solutions to the challenges facing the region, the Middle East, and the wider world.
The British Minister commended the Sultanate of Oman's endeavours along these diplomatic tracks and the role it plays in keeping channels of communication open among various nations, affirming that this is the role the two countries will pursue together, particularly in responding to certain current challenges. He noted that they also work together on issues such as maritime security and enhanced information-sharing between the two countries to ensure the free flow of trade, with a focus on the security of both nations and global security as a whole.
The minister affirmed that the United Kingdom will continue to work closely with the Sultanate of Oman, including within international institutions such as the United Nations, to find diplomatic solutions to the challenges confronting both countries and the region, noting that Oman has undertaken this vital role for many decades.
He added that his country also works closely with the Sultanate of Oman on how to respond to regional challenges, and stands consistently with all its partners in the region. He underscored the importance of upholding the principles of freedom of navigation and maritime security, noting that the two friendly countries will continue to work diplomatically to find peaceful solutions to the conflicts and challenges the region has experienced, particularly during the current year.
He indicated that the Sultanate of Oman and the United Kingdom are working to identify pathways that serve their shared security interests, those of the wider region, and the global economy, noting that the ramifications of current events are not confined to Middle Eastern economies but extend to the United Kingdom and numerous other countries.
The UK Minister of State for the Middle East concluded his remarks by noting that economic relations are being expanded on a broader scale through the Free Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom and the GCC states, emphasising the importance of bringing it to its final stages and of sustaining efforts to understand the new partnerships that will be essential for responding to regional challenges.