BY ASIF RIYAZ
During the era of the Renewed Renaissance led by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Sultanate of Oman continues to strengthen its bonds of cooperation with nations across the world. This approach draws on Oman’s deep civilizational legacy, its strategic location as a bridge between East and West, and a foreign policy rooted in wisdom, moderation, and respect for the sovereignty of states.
The forthcoming Royal visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to Brunei Darussalam marks a significant chapter in this vision. It is the first visit by an Omani Sultan to Bandar Seri Begawan and reflects a deliberate effort to elevate bilateral ties to a new level of strategic partnership. The visit responds to an invitation from His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and comes more than four decades after the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Oman and Brunei formalised diplomatic ties on 24 March 1984, less than three months after Brunei’s independence. Oman was among the first countries to extend the hand of friendship. The Sultanate opened its embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan in 1986, laying the foundation for a relationship that has endured across continents and seas. Reciprocal high-level visits have reinforced this bond. His Majesty Sultan Haitham, then Minister of Heritage and Culture, visited Brunei in 2014. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah paid official visits to Oman in 1984, 1985, and 2009. These exchanges, together with the establishment of a Bilateral Consultative Meeting mechanism in 1992, have steadily deepened political, economic, and cultural cooperation.
Economic ties form a practical pillar of the partnership. Statistics from the National Centre for Statistics and Information show Brunei’s investments in Oman reached approximately RO 50.3 million in 2025 and stood at RO 50.4 million in the first half of the current year. Omani direct investment in Brunei amounts to about RO 2.3 million. A landmark agreement for the reciprocal promotion and protection of foreign investments was signed in Muscat in 1998. In 2009 the two countries established the Oman Brunei Investment Company with an initial capital of USD 100 million, later doubled to USD 200 million in 2019.
The company has pursued projects in education, health, hospitality, desalination, aircraft leasing, and aquaculture, demonstrating a working model of joint investment. Ambassador Erma Said Al Kathiri has described the upcoming visit as a historic moment that consolidates more than forty-two years of relations. She emphasised that the bond extends beyond government-to-government ties to a fraternal connection between two ruling families and two peoples united by the values of Islam and moderation. The Ambassador noted that Omani sailors and merchants historically linked the Gulf to the ports of the East along maritime routes.
The visit therefore represents not the beginning of a relationship but the renewal of an ancient connection within a modern strategic framework. Priority areas for the visit include elevating relations to a formal strategic partnership through a joint declaration and the signing of several agreements. These are expected to cover the updating of the air services agreement and codeshare arrangements, mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special, and service passports, an amended protocol on the avoidance of double taxation, and memoranda of understanding on economy and strategic planning, agriculture and fisheries, and labour and human resource development.
Talks between the two leaders will also address regional developments in the Gulf and Southeast Asia. A photographic exhibition documenting bilateral milestones since 1984 will be opened at the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Islamic Exhibition Gallery. Educational and cultural cooperation has already delivered tangible results. Oman has gifted more than eleven thousand Arabic language curriculum books, provided teacher training, and facilitated programmes for Bruneian students at the Sultan Qaboos Institute for Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers.
Universities in both countries maintain memoranda of understanding and student exchanges. The Omani Embassy has established corners for Omani publications in Bruneian libraries, and both sides continue to participate in each other’s book fairs. Faisal Abdullah Al Rowas, Chairman of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has highlighted promising opportunities for the private sector in manufacturing, food security, tourism, information technology, and logistics. He stressed the importance of converting existing frameworks into concrete commercial partnerships.
The relationship draws strength from a rare alignment of vision. Both countries practise a calm foreign policy based on non-interference, dialogue, and respect for international law. They coordinate in multilateral forums including the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement, and they share positions on key issues such as Palestinian rights and maritime security. Brunei serves as a reliable partner for Oman within ASEAN, while Oman provides Brunei with a window to the Gulf. As the visit approaches, the two countries stand at a moment of maturity.
Four decades of trust-building have created the conditions for a transition from cooperation to strategic partnership. The shared commitment to moderation and dialogue offers a quiet but valuable example in a turbulent international environment. The success of the visit will ultimately be measured by practical outcomes that bring citizens of both nations closer through improved connectivity, expanded investment, educational exchange, and sustained people-to-people ties.
