Salalah: The Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Iraq today signed two agreements and 24 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) at Al Hosn Palace in the Wilayat of Salalah, Dhofar Governorate. The ceremony was attended by Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani, Prime Minister of Iraq, and HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs. The agreements include a mutual visa waiver for diplomatic, special, and service passport holders, and measures to avoid double taxation and prevent tax evasion on income and capital.
According to Oman News Agency, the MoUs span various sectors including youth and sports, judicial and legal affairs, tourism, historical documentation, information exchange in the capital market, communications, radio and television broadcasting, management training, banking oversight, housing, urban planning, higher education, and research. They also cover educational collaboration, trade exchange development, intellectual property, industry, energy, defence industry localization, transport, logistics, stock exchange, oil storage, Iraqi crude oil marketing, and chambers of commerce. An additional MoU focuses on planning and implementing smart cities.
Signatories from Oman included Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister and head of the Omani side in the Omani-Iraqi Joint Committee, along with other key officials and executives. On the Iraqi side, signatories included Dr. Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and other senior officials.
Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi expressed pride in the historical relations between Oman and Iraq, noting that the Iraqi Prime Minister’s visit marks a new phase of strategic relations. He emphasized the importance of implementing the agreements through the Omani-Iraqi Joint Committee and the embassies in Baghdad and Muscat.
Dr. Fuad Hussein highlighted the historic nature of the visit and the evolving strategic partnership between Oman and Iraq, as evidenced by the agreements and MoUs signed across various fields.