Oman-Türkiye relations are set to significantly expand with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s two-day state visit to Oman starting on Wednesday. This visit, following His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s trip to Ankara in November 2024, highlights a mutual commitment to deepening cooperation across various sectors.

During his visit to Türkiye, His Majesty the Sultan praised Türkiye’s supportive stances on Arab and regional issues, emphasising the strong fraternal relations between the two countries and their shared dedication to enhancing cooperation in politics, economy, military and defence, science and technology, education, culture, energy and tourism. Türkiye-Omani relations continue to flourish in multiple fields such as politics, economy, higher education, energy and culture. Bilateral cooperation, especially in the last decade or so, has seen significant progress driven by common interests between the two parties.

The state visit of Türkiye President is a testament to the depth of bilateral relations and the shared desire to maintain the positive momentum in the relationship between the two countries. This visit showcases the level of relations and the strategic significance of the longstanding ties between Türkiye and Oman. The historical ties between Oman and Türkiye date back over many centuries, with formal diplomatic relations established in 1973. Recent high-level exchanges, including HM’s 2024 visit, have resulted in several important agreements covering entrepreneurship, employment, health, agriculture and banking cooperation.

A key outcome was the creation of a $500 million joint investment fund, expected to stimulate new ventures and enhance trade and investment flows between the two nations. Economic relations have shown strong growth, with Türkiye ranking 11th among recipients of Omani non-oil exports in 2024, a significant jump from 17th in 2023. The number of registered Turkish companies in Oman increased by 55 per cent to 597 by the end of 2024, with Turkish capital invested rising from RO41 million in 2023 to RO56 million in 2024. These companies are active in construction, trade, manufacturing, and logistics.

Total trade between Oman and Türkiye reached RO196.8 million during the first seven months of 2025, with Omani exports mainly consisting of chemicals, food products, machinery, plastics, and rubber, while imports from Türkiye largely included electrical appliances, optical equipment, and industrial tools. Turkish firms have also completed $6 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Oman.

In addition to economic ties, cultural and educational exchanges are expanding. Efforts are underway to open a Turkish school in Oman, complementing the Turkish language programme launched at Sultan Qaboos University in 2019, which continues to gain interest. Mutual tourist numbers have also surpassed 100,000.

President Erdogan’s current Gulf tour, which also includes Kuwait and Qatar, will also address regional and international developments, particularly the situation in Gaza. Türkiye has been a strong advocate for the Palestinian people, providing extensive humanitarian aid, diplomatic mediation and calls for accountability.

Discussions during the visit are expected to focus on humanitarian conditions in Gaza, aid coordination, and support for a ceasefire. This aligns with Oman’s balanced diplomacy and its role as a mediator in regional crises.

Oman emerges as a leading actor in upholding regional stability, owing to its balanced and constructive approach, its neutral stance, and its role as a mediator, particularly in regional crises, where it advances solutions through dialogue and diplomacy, embodying a sophisticated model of constructive diplomacy.

In this context, the balanced positions maintained by the Sultanate of Oman on numerous issues—from the Yemeni crisis to its role in US negotiations with Iran—are largely consistent with Türkiye’s diplomatic approach.

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