Sultan Haitham’s Visit to Türkiye: From Low Ties to Strategic Partnership

Sultan Haitham bin Tarik visited Türkiye on 28-29 November 2024, marking the first-ever official visit by an Omani state leader to that country. Sultan Haitham ascended to power after Sultan Qaboos, widely regarded as the founder of modern Oman, died in January 2020 after a widely-praised 50-year reign. Although Oman and Türkiye have never had significant issues, the two countries have kept a relatively low profile in their interaction—as evidenced by the fact that neither state leader had ever visited the other. 

However, since Sultan Haitham rose to power, observers have watched a conspicuous deepening and widening of bilateral ties between both nations. Oman has become an important client of Türkiye’s defense industry, accounting for around 17 percent of Türkiye’s total arms exports between 2018 and 2022. Energy cooperation has also gained momentum since Sultan Haitham came to power. The two countries signed an LNG agreement in 2023, and its implementation was a significant topic of discussion during Sultan Haitham’s meetings in Ankara.

The participation of key ministers in Sultan Haitham’s engagements, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, and National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, underscored the importance of this visit for Türkiye. This strong delegation likewise signalled Türkiye’s intent to strengthen and broaden relations with Oman. President Erdogan in turn announced his own plans to visit Oman soon, a move aimed at further warming bilateral ties.

In a sign of mutual respect, Sultan Haitham and President Erdogan exchanged orders during the visit. Sultan Haitham presented Erdogan with the Al Said Order, Oman’s highest honor. Similarly, Erdogan responded by presenting Sultan Haitham with Türkiye’s Order of the State, the most prestigious order in Türkiye.

Economic Collaboration And Regional Stability

The visit focused on economic, trade and investment relations between Türkiye and Oman. Sultan Haitham emphasized the role of Turkish companies in Oman’s infrastructure development. He also promised closer cooperation in energy, renewable energy, military industries, education, innovation, and food security. Notably, the two sides agreed to target a trade volume of $5 billion, with Turkish construction companies already investing $7 billion in Oman.

During the sultan’s visit, Turkish and Omani officials signed ten new agreements covering security, investment, agriculture, health, diplomacy, and sports. As part of the agreements, Oman is expected to export LNG to Türkiye by 2025.

While Sultan Haitham’s remarks primarily focused on economic collaboration, President Erdogan extended the dialogue to include regional stability and cooperation. Erdogan began his speech by thanking Oman for their efforts in mediating the Yemen conflict. He further highlighted Omani contributions to fostering peace in the region. Finally, he spoke about  the importance of a unified response from the Muslim world to Israeli actions in Gaza, which Oman has largely opposed. However, Sultan Haitham also stressed Omani’s commitment to a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict, in keeping with the country’s diplomatic tradition. Moreover, Erdogan emphasized his happiness with the ceasefire in Lebanon and urged international parties to help negotiate a similar one in Gaza. 

A New Chapter in Bilateral Relations

Sultan Haitham’s visit to Türkiye indicated Oman’s desire to strengthen ties with Ankara. Through the ten  new agreements covering multiple areas, and other mutual gestures of goodwill, the relationship between Oman and Türkiye appears poised for significant growth. So far, Türkiye and Oman’s ties are relatively low-key and restricted to economics, but there is no reason that their future partnership could not turn out similar to Türkiye’s relationship with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, or the United Arab Emirates—although such an improvement appears unlikely in the near term.

Compared to the other Gulf states, Oman’s relationship with Türkiye has been more modest. Qatar, for instance, has long been Türkiye’s closest partner in the Gulf, their ties covering strong economic, military, and diplomatic footprints, which have enhanced even more since 2017 after Qatar was subjected to a diplomatic boycott by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt. 

Despite fluctuations in Türkiye’s relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, recent rapprochements between these parties and heightened diplomatic, commercial, and military ties made these problematic terms a matter of history. Thanks to Omani’s consistent diplomatic approach, which stands out for its lack of ideological tensions and tradition of neutrality and pragmatic diplomacy, Türkiye’s normalization with other Gulf nations would ease Omani relations and allow Oman to engage with Türkiye without the baggage of competing alliances or regional rivalries. 

Moreover, Oman’s focus on its economic diversification plan and Vision 2040 initiative aligns well with Türkiye’s relatively apolitical ambitions to expand its influence in the Gulf. Unlike Türkiye’s high-profile political partnerships with Qatar, or its sometimes transactional ties with other Gulf states, its relationship with Oman can grow into a balanced and strategic partnership, leveraging Oman’s mediatory role in the region and Türkiye’s economic and defense capabilities. This distinct dynamic sets Oman-Türkiye relations apart as an emerging model for cooperation in the Gulf.

Finally, Oman and Türkiye can leverage their shared interest in regional stability. Both nations are effective mediators: Oman has developed a reputation as a neutral ground for talks, and has hosted key initiatives in the past, such as the 2013 nuclear discussions between the United States and Iran and more recently the talks to end the war in Yemen. Türkiye is also willing to engage in peace-building initiatives and has certain advantages that Oman lacks—chiefly its membership in NATO and its greater involvement in world affairs. Despite this, Ankara has preserved relatively cordial relations with all major players: the United States, Russia, Ukraine, the European Union, Iran, Hamas, and even Israel. This creates an opportunity for joint diplomatic efforts. Oman and Türkiye can promote ceasefires and conflict resolution in Yemen, Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine, enhancing regional stability and deepening their influence as peacemakers.