President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Sultan of Oman held talks in Astana and outlined new areas of cooperation between the two countries, El.kz reports citing the Akorda.
Haitham bin Tarik Al Said arrived in Kazakhstan on a state visit. This marks the Sultan of Oman’s first visit to Kazakhstan and, at the same time, his first visit to Central Asia in his capacity as Head of State.
“We regard Oman as a time-tested and reliable partner of Kazakhstan in the Arab world,” President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said. Next year, the two countries will mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Following the talks, the two sides agreed to further develop cooperation in energy, transport and logistics, agriculture, information technology, digitalisation and healthcare. A package of bilateral documents and a Joint Statement outlining the priorities for further partnership has also been prepared.
Among the projects already under implementation, President Tokayev highlighted the development of the Dunga oil field, the operations of Solidcore Resources in Pavlodar and North Kazakhstan regions, a joint investment fund with the Oman Investment Authority, as well as projects in the hospitality and resort sectors.
The two sides also discussed transport connectivity. The Sultan of Oman noted the potential for developing a trade corridor through Omani ports and expanding air connectivity between the two countries.
“Kazakhstan occupies a strategic position along major global trade corridors connecting Asia and Europe, while Oman provides direct maritime access to key markets in the Gulf, the Indian Ocean, Asia and Africa,” Haitham bin Tarik Al Said said.
Oman also sees significant potential for investment in the mining industry, food security, financial services, tourism, technology and artificial intelligence.
During the talks, President Tokayev highlighted the potential for additional direct commercial flights between Kazakhstan and Oman. According to him, expanding air connectivity could contribute to increasing bilateral tourist flows.
The Sultan of Oman invited Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to pay a reciprocal visit to Oman at a time convenient for him.
