Wednesday 20 / August / 2025
Muscat: U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate, Marc J. Sievers, believes that under the administration of President Trump, relations between Oman and the United States, which span back over two centuries, remain sound.
“Over the past 200 years, we’ve seen quite a few U.S. administrations come and go, and all have commonly shared meaningful and robust ties to this country,” Sievers told the Times of Oman, going on to say that its relationship with the Sultanate was one of the United States’ oldest in the Arab world.
“As with previous administrations, the Trump Administration values its partnership with the Sultanate on a full range of economic, political, security, science, technology and education-related issues. Our dialogue on regional issues is very robust, as is our military-military cooperation.”
Sievers explained that the U.S. government was also looking to expand its partnership with Oman by seeking new areas of cooperation, suggesting that in addition to the almost ten-year-old bilateral Free Trade Agreement, the recently-signed bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement would provide new mechanisms for enhanced collaboration in areas previously unexplored by both countries.
“These are exciting times for the United States and Oman and I’m pleased to see that our future together appears to be just as dynamic as our past proved to be.”
An area where the Sultanate and the United States continue to enjoy close cooperation is on student exchanges.
Ambassador Sievers reported nearly 2,900 Omani students are enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities.
He noted the presence of young Omani students in U.S. classrooms and communities fosters a new generation of mutual respect and understanding, and encourages a strong relationship between the two countries.
Aside from discussing the United States’ direct relations with the Sultanate, the ambassador also spoke about his country’s deep appreciation of Oman, led by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, for its role as a mediator in regional affairs.
“Oman’s promotion of peace and prosperity is well known throughout the world, not just in the United States and has shaped in many ways this country’s ability to facilitate diplomatic endeavours successfully. Not many countries in the world can do what Oman does so well in helping others see and understand how short-term actions can have long-term effects.”
It is for this reason, Sievers explains, that the United States frequently turns to the Sultanate to provide advice on issues that involve regional stability. He claims that Oman’s broad view of world affairs has enabled it to take a balanced approach with regard to the ongoing rift between Qatar and Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
“By remaining neutral and not being directly involved in the dispute, Oman has been able to provide a unique perspective on the disagreements between Qatar and ‘the Quartet.’ The United States sees Oman’s even-handed and pragmatic approach as a very helpful and effective way to address not only this particular ‘crisis,’ but also other events that pit one side against another.”
Sievers praised the Sultanate for providing essential humanitarian and peace facilitation assistance in connection with the Yemen conflict, affirming that the United States agrees with Oman that a negotiated settlement is the only solution. He said that the U.S. was engaged with the Sultanate in promoting dialogue both within Yemen as well as with the Saudi-led coalition.
“I expect that the Sultanate will continue its crucial efforts to help bring the conflict, now in its fourth year, to a close.”
He also expressed his appreciation for the continued cooperation between the two countries to counter terrorism.
“Countering global terrorism has been a high priority for the United States. government for decades, and we are grateful that Oman has been such a close partner in these efforts.”
Ambassador Sievers rounded off his interview with Times of Oman by touching upon the development of economic cooperation between Oman and the United States.
He spoke about the positive impact of the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement, referring to it as the foundation of the current economic cooperation between the two countries.
Since the agreement came into effect in 2009, bilateral trade has increased by more than fifty percent, with total trade in goods topping $3 billion last year alone. Furthermore, he explains that Omani exports to the United States have doubled as companies from the Sultanate have gained improved access to U.S. markets.
“U.S. exports to Oman have also tripled, which means lower prices for Omani consumers who purchase high-quality U.S. products - products that, for the most part, are not produced in Oman at all.”
The U.S. Ambassador went on to add that a further benefit of the Free Trade Agreement has been the way in which it has driven bilateral investment, with the total level of U.S. investment in Oman having grown to OMR299 million by the end 2017, representing a 20 per cent increase in U.S. investment in Oman in just one year. With this increase, the United States is now the second largest non-GCC source of foreign direct investment in Oman.
“As a result, United States companies now operate in all sectors of the Omani economy, employing Omanis and bringing our private sectors’ technology and know-how to the Sultanate. In the embassy, we continue to work closely with the Omani government to increase U.S. investment in Oman, particularly in the free trade zones in Sohar, Salalah and Duqm,” he added.
