Omani Sultan's Visit To Kuwait Shows Close Cooperation -- Amb.

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) By Abdullah Al-Enezi
KUWAIT, May 11 (KUNA) -- Oman's Ambassador to Kuwait Dr. Saleh Al-Kharousi said Saturday the visit of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq to Kuwait stressed the deep-rooted bonds and close collaboration between the wise leaderships of the two countries.
Speaking to KUNA in a statement, Al-Kharousi added the visit would lead to positive results for the two countries' peoples in all fields.
His Highness the Amir sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's visit to the Sultanate of Oman in February had key outcomes, as it was the first visit of His Highness the Amir to Oman since he came to office, the ambassador noted.
His Highness the Amir's visit came to materialize the strong desire and keenness between the two countries' leaderships to support their relations based on deep-rooted and commonality, he said.
Al-Kharousi pointed to the directives of the two leaderships for high-level direct coordination between the two sides in multiple fields.
He pointed out that a mechanism for direct bilateral relations has been set that includes high-profile meetings, as Sultan Haitham will pay his first visit to Kuwait.
Relations between Oman and Kuwait are an international and regional model, and their cooperation is distinguished, he said, referring to common historic, social heritage, and clear political positions towards several international and regional issues.
These ties are an extension of close relations between the two leaderships of the two countries led by Sultan Haitham and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the diplomat noted.
He pointed to the mutual meetings between the two countries' leaderships and officials that led to several achievements which serve the interest of Omanis and Kuwaitis.
Al-Kharousi said the Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Company (DRPIC) in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm that Sultan Haitham patronized its opening ceremony on February 7 2024, in the presence of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, is a great achievement of which both countries are proud.
It is the largest combined joint investment project between the Omani OQ Group and the Kuwait Petroleum International Company, with a capital exceeding USD nine billion, he stated.
Opening the project embodied the deep-seated ties between the two countries over many years, and culmination in this common heritage that was supported by the two sides, he made clear.
Opening the refinery was not the only achievement made during that visit, as it also witnessed the completion of two other projects: Marafiq Company, which supports the refinery in terms of energy and water, with an investment amounting to 196 million Omani riyals (about USD 510 million) and the Omani Tank Company project for oil storage in Ras Markaz with an investment of 200 million Omani riyals (about USD 520 million), he elaborated.
The ambassador stressed continued work between the two sides to ensure safe and profitable operation of the refinery to be a global platform for innovation and leadership in refining amid major challenges facing gas and oil industry.
He indicated that the current cooperation, which translates the Kuwaiti-Omani partnership, mainly investment in petrochemical industries, materializes the current and future shared visions of the two sides and their aspirations for more cooperation aiming to consolidate close relations between the two brotherly countries and achieve their interests.
Furthermore, he referred to the role of the joint Omani-Kuwaiti committee established in 2003 that is hosted periodically by the capitals of the two countries, the recent of which was the ninth session held in Muscat last March for coordination on various aspects of close bilateral cooperation between the two sisterly countries.
Over the last ninth sessions, the committee concluded many projects and programs for common cooperation in sports, economic, technical, cultural and scientific fields, he said.
The ambassador revealed that Kuwait's direct investments in Oman until the end of December 2023 hit 922.3 million Omani riyals (about USD 2.4 billion), an increase of about USD 325 million compared with the previous year.
The volume of trade exchange between the two sides reached 790 million Omani riyals (about USD two billion) until November 2023, an increase of 300 percent compared with the previous year that hit 280 million Omani riyals (about USD 728 million), he pointed out.
The ambassador elaborated that the two sides seek to hold the Omani-Kuwaiti Economic Forum, under the supervision of the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, and the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the two countries, to discuss opportunities and challenges, and enhance trade and investment relations in the public and private sectors, in the presence of businessmen and representatives of private institutions and companies.
Al-Kharousi underlined the importance of cultural cooperation between the two sides since the start of modern renaissance, adding that the cultural cooperation agreement between the two sides was signed in 1974.
Since that time, several cultural, media, technical projects have been carried out, in addition to TV and Radio, theater, press and news agencies programs, he said.
He elaborated that the two states have commonalities in foreign policy and diplomacy they adopt towards most regional and international dossiers and issues in order to reach peaceful solutions to crises and conflicts.
He referred to the two countries' support for the efforts and endeavors of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states aiming to achieve stability and peace in the region and the world.
The ambassador, finally, voiced his hope for consolidating the pillars of peace, stability and security in the region, wishing the two countries' leaderships success in meeting aspirations of Kuwaitis and Omanis, as well as all Arab and Gulf nations. (end)
aa

MENAFN11052024000071011013ID1108201431