The 5th High-level Political Dialogue between the European Union and the Sultanate of Oman was held in Muscat on 29 May.

The two sides had the opportunity to exchange views on a wide range of bilateral issues, with both parties eager to elevate the partnership to a strategic level and intensify high-level contacts. Discussion also covered current regional developments in the Middle East and beyond, including the war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza, as well as regional developments pertaining to Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and the Red Sea, including in light of recent EU and Omani efforts towards de-escalation, as well as continued cooperation in multilateral fora. Oman’s central role in US-Iran talks was also welcomed during the discussions.

The EU and Oman agreed on the added value of maintaining close contacts on issues of mutual interest in the region, with a view to addressing common challenges through dialogue and cooperation.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Undersecretary for Political Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, Sheikh Khalifa Alharthy, and Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Olof Skoog, consolidating further the solid EU-Oman partnership following the October 2024 EU-GCC Summit in Brussels.