Saturday 19 / April / 2025
Muscat: Under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Sultanate of Oman continues to develop areas of cooperation and partnership with various countries around the world.
His Majesty’s state visit to the Russian Federation on Monday is one such milestone aimed at maximising the common interests between the two countries, particularly in economic, trade, investment, energy, and renewable energy sectors.
The anticipated summit between His Majesty the Sultan and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation at the Kremlin in Moscow reflects the desire of the two nations to advance their shared interests by developing strategic partnerships. This is especially significant as the two countries mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on26 September 1985.
The political relations between the two countries have been characterized by sincerity and transparency regarding several contemporary regional and international issues, reaching a level of mutual trust in consultations and exchanging viewpoints. This dynamic has been reflected through phone calls between the two countries' leaders, visits by high-level official delegations, and other reciprocal official exchanges, in addition to ongoing political and parliamentary consultations held regularly in Muscat and Moscow, the foremost of which was the meeting between HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation in Moscow. During the meeting, President Putin emphasized promising areas of cooperation between the two countries, particularly in energy and tourism sectors.
By the end of 2024, the trade volume between the Sultanate of Oman and the Russian Federation exceeded approximately OMR133.108 million (equivalent to over $346 million). Oman’s key exports include metal products, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium products, while Russian imports consist of iron products and food items such as vegetables.
As of 2024, the number of registered companies with Russian shareholding in Oman reached about 277, with a total capital exceeding OMR11.6 million (84.6% of the total invested capital in these companies). These companies operate in wholesale and retail trade, professional and scientific activities, information and communications, construction, accommodation and food services, transportation and storage, mining and quarrying, administrative and support services, arts and entertainment, and financial activities.
Hamoud bin Salim Al Tuwayah, Oman’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, affirmed to Oman News Agency (ONA) that His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s state visit to Moscow holds great significance as it is the highest level of diplomatic visit between heads of state and government. This marks the first visit by an Omani Sultan to the Russian Federation and represents a historic step reflecting Oman’s commitment to strengthening ties with Russia.
He added that the visit will open new avenues for bilateral cooperation in various economic, trade, cultural, tourism, and educational fields, serving as a launchpad for a new era of collaboration between Oman and Russia, benefiting both nations. The current regional and international developments will also provide an opportunity for the two countries' leaders to discuss and exchange views on global challenges.
He noted that the two nations share long-standing diplomatic relations, established on 26 September 1985. The Soviet Embassy opened in Muscat in 1987, after being represented by a non-resident ambassador for two years. In 1991, Oman officially recognised the Russian Federation as the legal successor to the Soviet Union.
The ambassador stated that the two countries' celebration of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations highlights the depth of their ties, as they seek to boost economic, trade, cultural, and educational cooperation.
He pointed out that trade and economic cooperation between Oman and Russia has seen significant growth in recent years, bolstered by economic agreements. Russia is a major market for Omani exports, including dates, fish, aluminium, perfumes, and construction stones, while Russian exports to Oman consist of wheat, fertilizers, machinery, coal briquettes, and metal processing equipment. This visit will accelerate and expand trade exchanges and open doors for new opportunities in vital sectors like renewable energy and heavy industries.
The ambassador added that last year (2024), the Russian Export Centre visited Oman with a delegation representing 39 Russian companies under the "Made in Russia" brand. Participants explored the Omani market through a session titled "Russia and Oman: New Opportunities and Prospects for Cooperation."
Additionally, Oman participated as a guest of honour in the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2024, promoting its economic potential and investment opportunities. Oman has also actively engaged in other Russian economic forums, including the Kazan Economic Forum "Russia and the Islamic World," which brings together representatives from Islamic nations to discuss economic cooperation.
He pointed out that the trade volume between Oman and Russia by the end of 2024 reached approximately OMR133.108 million (over $346 million).
He said that the visit will witness the signing of 10 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in various fields, including a mutual visa waiver for ordinary passport holders and a protocol to establish the Omani-Russian Joint Committee, among others in fisheries, trade, media, diplomacy, and climate. These agreements will strengthen bilateral relations and open new cooperation avenues in trade, energy, education, and tourism, fostering economic growth.
The ambassador added that tourism is another sector with significant expansion potential between Oman and Russia. Oman’s rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and scenic landscapes attract Russian tourists. The visa waiver agreement to be signed during the visit will further boost tourism cooperation. The number of tourists traveling between the two countries has been increasing annually, with around 11,000 Omani visitors to Russia in 2024 (a 70% increase from 2023) and approximately 44,000 Russian tourists visiting Oman in the same year.
He pointed out that both nations also aim to strengthen educational and cultural ties through student exchange programmes, academic collaboration, and museum partnerships.
The ambassador concluded by highlighting parliamentary cooperation between Oman and Russia as a vital tool for fostering mutual understanding and legislative experience exchange.
For his part, Oleg Vladimirovich Levin, Russian Ambassador to Oman, underscored the significance of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s state visit to Russia, stating that it will open new vistas for discussions on priorities and explore fresh cooperation pathways in diverse fields.
He told Oman News Agency (ONA) that the visit presents an ideal opportunity to deepen trust between the two nations' leaders and create favourable conditions for strengthening cooperation in trade, energy, investment, infrastructure, culture, and tourism. Such high-level visits unify perspectives on pressing international issues and facilitate the signing of key agreements, he added.
He pointed out that the visit coincides with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations, which have seen continuous growth across multiple sectors. Both nations are expanding cooperation beyond traditional raw material trade to explore investment opportunities in energy, agriculture, tourism, and culture.
The Russian ambassador added that Oman and Russia are looking to implement joint ventures in logistics, infrastructure, and high-tech sectors, leveraging Oman’s strategic geographic location and Russia’s technological resources.
He pointed out that the two countries share similar views on global issues, emphasising diplomatic conflict resolution, state sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs. This alignment enables cooperation in multilateral forums, including the United Nations, he said.
He added that key cooperation areas include energy, logistics, infrastructure, agriculture, food security, culture, and tourism. Both nations are exploring joint oil and gas exploration projects, port modernization, logistics, and agricultural production. In tourism, Russian interest in Oman is growing, while Russia remains an attractive destination for Omanis.
He pointed out that both countries recognize the importance of transitioning to sustainable energy and exploring joint projects in solar technology, given Russia’s advanced expertise and Oman’s efforts to diversify its economy through innovative investments.
Culturally, the ambassador said that an"Hermitage Museum" section was opened in the National Museum of Oman earlier this year (2025). Russian cultural performances were held at the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) in early 2025, with plans for future exhibitions from the Kremlin Museums and the Tretyakov Gallery, he added.
The ambassador concluded by stressing the importance of these sectors in driving economic growth, laying a solid foundation for sustainable partnerships that serve both nations' interests.
For his part, Faisal bin Abdullah Al Rowas, Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), stated that His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s state visit to Russia opens broad prospects for enhancing economic and investment cooperation between the two nations. The visit comes at a time of growing engagement between the private sectors of Oman and Russia through meetings and events organized by the OCCI, including Oman’s participation as a guest of honour at the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and activities of the Omani-Russian Business Council.
He told Oman News Agency (ONA) that these events have focused on Oman’s economy and its lucrative opportunities, supported by incentives and initiatives, particularly in sectors targeted for economic diversification.
He added that Oman’s strategic location, with access to open seas and year-round navigable warm waters, provides Russia with an ideal opportunity to export its products through Omani ports, which are close to emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
He pointed out that promising cooperation opportunities exist in food security, including the potential establishment of large wheat and grain silos in Oman for export to regional and international markets. Other investment opportunities lie in technology, petrochemicals, and tourism, with Russia being a promising tourism market, Al Rowas concluded.
Jamal bin Hassan Al Moosawi, Secretary-General of the National Museum, expressed his pride in the cultural and museum cooperation between the National Museum and various museums and cultural institutions in the Russian Federation, which reflects the depth of historical relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Russian Federation spanning centuries. He noted that this cooperation represents the culmination of both countries' efforts to strengthen cultural and civilizational ties.
He stated: "The National Museum maintains distinguished relations with leading Russian museums, foremost among them the State Hermitage Museum, one of the largest and most prestigious museums in the world. This cooperation began in 2014 when Professor Dr. Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director-General of the State Hermitage Museum, joined the Board of Trustees of the National Museum. This was followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two parties in 2015, paving the way for numerous pioneering museum initiatives and culminating in the strategic relationship the two museums enjoy today."
He pointed out that the qualitative initiatives implemented in cooperation with the State Hermitage Museum include hosting the "Oman Day" initiative in the Russian Federation in 2018, establishing the first "Oman Hall" in 2020, and hosting the "Hermitage Day" exhibition at the National Museum in 2019 for the first time.
Additionally, the State Hermitage Museum has received several National Museum staff for training and qualification in various specialized museum fields, a collaboration that continues to this day.
He touched upon the second exhibition under the "Hermitage Corner" initiative, titled "Gifts from the Emirs of Bukhara and the Khans of Central Asia to the Russian Imperial Court," which opened this year (2025) at the National Museum. This coincides with the exhibition "The Omani Empire Between Asia and Africa" in the "Oman Hall" at the State Hermitage Museum.
He affirmed that these exhibitions enhance cultural exchange between the two friendly nations. He noted that the "Oman Hall" initiative at the State Hermitage Museum aligns with the National Museum’s vision to introduce the world to Oman’s civilizational, historical, cultural, and scientific heritage at regional and international levels. This is one of the objectives outlined in Royal Decree No. (62/2013) regarding the establishment of the National Museum and its system. The initiative includes signing long-term loan agreements with global museums to display Omani artefacts, most notably the "Oman Hall" at the StateHermitage Museum, which opened in 2020 and will continue for three to five years.
He added that cultural initiatives include "Oman Day," an event lasting three to six months, featuring educational and cultural activities such as seminars, lectures, and musical performances. Among its most notable recent events was the exhibition "Splendor of Silver: Treasures from the Omani Court," held at the Moscow Kremlin Museums in 2024, showcasing historical artefacts belonging to the Sultans of Oman in Muscat and Zanzibar. This reflects the National Museum’s efforts to promote Omani civilizational and historical heritage globally.
He continued: "Strategic cooperation was evident in the tripartite framework for preserving Syrian cultural heritage damaged during the years of crisis, through hosting conservation experts from the Hermitage in Muscat to restore Palmyrene artefacts. These artefacts are part of the archaeological site of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site."He highlighted that, as part of displaying Omani artefacts abroad, the National Museum unveiled the original manuscript of a collection of maritime navigation poems (Al-Safaliya, Al-Mu'allaqiyya, Al-Ta'iyya) by the Omani navigator ShihabAl-Din Ahmed bin Majid Al-Saadi, on loan from the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts in St. Petersburg in 2021. This made the manuscript available to the public after more than five centuries, as the oldest maritime manuscript in the world written by the Omani navigator himself.
Al Moosawi mentioned that in 2023, three cultural cooperation agreements were signed with three museums: the Moscow Kremlin Museums, the Schusev Museum of Architecture, and the Tretyakov State Gallery, on the sidelines of the National Museum’s participation in the 9th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum.Regarding cooperation with the Tretyakov State Gallery in Moscow, he announced ongoing efforts to organize an exhibition of Russian avant-garde art in the Sultanate of Oman, scheduled for late 2025.
He noted that this exhibition stems from the great interest in avant-garde and abstract art in Oman. Additionally, the Tretyakov State Gallery will host an exhibition organized by the National Museum in June this year (2025) to promote modern Omani visual arts in Moscow.He praised cooperation with St. Petersburg State University through the launch of a dedicated "Oman Publications Corner" in 2022, which enriches the knowledge of Arab studies students about Oman’s civilizational and intellectual aspects. He also expressed his pleasure at signing an agreement to establish an "Oman Publications Corner" at the Chechen State Pedagogical University.
Al Moosawi touched upon the museum’s participation as an official speaker at the 9th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum in collaboration with the Russian Ministry of Culture in November 2023, and its involvement in the 10th St. Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures in September 2024.
He commended the successful premiere of the documentary film “The Khanjar” at the National Museum, produced by RT Arabic, which narrates the story and history of the Omani dagger as a symbol of Omani identity and culture. The film received positive engagement from both local and Russian audiences.
He also mentioned the launch of the museum programme within the "Russian Cultural Seasons" in Oman, in cooperation with the Russian Ministry of Culture and the "Russian Seasons" Foundation, attended by Olga Lyubimova, Russian Minister of Culture, in early February 2025.He said: "At the beginning of February, the National Museum launched the Russian-language version of its website, aiming to introduce Russian-speaking tourists and residents to Oman’s cultural heritage, thereby boosting cultural tourism in the Sultanate of Oman."
Jamal bin Hassan Al Moosawi, Secretary-General of the National Museum, concluded his remarks by emphasizing the importance of celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Oman and the Russian Federation. He affirmed that the National Museum will continue its role as a key platform for Omani cultural and civilizational dimensions, supporting cultural diplomacy and strengthening ties between the two friendly nations.
For his part, Professor Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director-General of the State Hermitage Museum and member of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman, stated that cultural relations between the Russian Federation and Oman have seen significant enhancement and development in recent years. Major museums in both countries, particularly the State Hermitage Museum and the National Museum of Oman, play a pivotal role in this trajectory, he affirmed.
He added that cooperation between the Hermitage and the National Museum began with the latter’s establishment in 2013. Since then, staff from the National Museum in Muscat, especially conservators, have regularly visited St. Petersburg to participate in practical training programmes organized by Hermitage experts.
He noted that in 2018, the State Hermitage Museum hosted the first "Oman Day," featuring an exhibition and accompanying programmes. The following year,the National Museum of Oman hosted "Hermitage Day." In 2019, agreements were signed between the two museums to regulate artifact loans for temporary exhibitions in both Russia and Oman.
He mentioned that in 2020, the Winter Palace hosted the exhibition "Oman: Land of Frankincense," displaying archaeological treasures dating from the third to the first millennium BCE, discovered in Oman over the past 50 years. In 2021, the Hermitage inaugurated the "Oman Corner," a unique innovation allowing regular exhibitions of National Museum artefacts. The same year, the National Museum in Oman officially opened the exhibitions "Islamic Civilization in Russia" and the "Hermitage Corner," operating on the same principle.
Professor Piotrovsky affirmed that cooperation between the two museums extends beyond expert exchanges and temporary exhibitions. For example, in 2021, restorers from the Hermitage’s Laboratory for Scientific Restoration of Sculpture and Semi-Precious Stones completed the restoration of several Palmyrene funerary inscriptions displayed at the National Museum.
He pointed out that in 2023, an official ceremony was held at the National Museum in Muscat to hand over a carved stone lintel dating to the mid-fourth century CE to the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic. This was achieved through cooperation between the Hermitage, which enjoys close ties with the British Museum, and the National Museum of Oman.
He noted that during the 2023 United Cultures Forum, a cooperation agreement was signed between the State Hermitage Museum and the National Museum of Oman, aiming to strengthen cultural and museum collaboration between Russia and Oman. The same year saw the opening of the exhibition "The Omani Empire: Asia and Africa," featuring 28 artefacts from the National Museum, organized within the "Oman Hall" initiative at the Hermitage’s General Staff Building.
He added that in 2024, a team from the Hermitage’s Scientific Restoration and Conservation Department and Climate Control Laboratory visited Muscat, providing consultations on collection preservation, the organisation of new restoration laboratories, museum climate control, and the project to convert the historic Bait Al-Ghuraizah into a museum.
He mentioned that in 2025, the Hermitage Corner at the National Museum of Oman hosted the opening of the exhibition "Gifts from the Emirs of Bukhara and the Khans of Central Asia to the Russian Imperial Court," featuring Hermitage artefacts. This exhibition marked the first event of the "Russian Seasons" festival, a major arts and culture festival in Oman, including exhibitions from leading Russian museums, concerts, workshops, lectures, and film screenings.
He pointed out that in February2025, the Hermitage hosted the premiere of the documentary “The Khanjar”, produced by RT Arabic in cooperation with the National Museum and Oman’s Ministry of Information, with the participation of the State Hermitage Museum.
He announced that the National Museum will host a new exhibition organised by the Hermitage this year, titled "The New Russian Style," focusing on the flourishing cultural life of the Russian Empire during the reigns of Alexander III and Nicholas II, when the "Russian Style" experienced a revival.
Professor Mikhail Piotrovsky affirmed that over several years, cooperation between the State Hermitage Museum and the National Museum of Oman has developed strong institutional foundations, becoming a new model for cultural collaboration. Close ties with the Hermitage have enabled the National Museum to establish cooperative relations with numerous Russian museums, serving as a compelling example of successful Russian cultural diplomacy in the Middle East and an effective model for international cultural cooperation in a multipolar world, he concluded.
