The Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, will start a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia on Sunday, with the aim of strengthening relations between the two countries.

This came, according to what was reported by the official Omani and Saudi news agencies, on Friday.

It is the first visit by the Sultan to the Kingdom, and also the first for him abroad since he assumed office on January 11, 2020, succeeding the late Qaboos bin Said.

And the Omani News Agency reported that the visit came “in response to the invitation of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and to strengthen the ties of the two countries.”

The expected meeting between Haitham bin Tariq and the Saudi monarch is the second, after the latter visited Muscat early last year, to offer condolences to Sultan Qaboos.

The agency stated that the Omani Sultan will start his visit on Sunday, and will discuss “all aspects of cooperation.”

Sultan Haitham bin Tariq is accompanied by a high-level delegation of 9 officials, including Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs, Badr Al Busaidi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Qais Al Yousef, Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment Promotion, according to the same source.

The agency stated that “the Omani-Saudi diplomacy is compatible in many visions, especially those related to combating terrorism and maintaining international peace and security,” stressing the long-standing relations.

In a related context, the Saudi Press Agency, “SPA”, reported that the Sultan of Oman’s visit will be next Sunday and Monday.

She explained that this visit is in response to the invitation of the Saudi King, and comes within the framework of strengthening the established historical brotherly relations, and expanding the horizons of joint cooperation and ways to develop it.

It is noteworthy that the total volume of trade exchange between the Kingdom and Oman in 2020 amounted to $3.36 billion, while the value of Saudi non-oil exports to the Sultanate amounted to $1.16 billion, according to “SPA”.