Muscat – Hanke Bruins Slot, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, will be in Oman on Monday and Tuesday to attend the 26th EU-Gulf Cooperation Council ministerial meeting, aimed at strengthening relations between the two blocs.

Her visit will focus on furthering ties between the Netherlands and Oman.

Minister Hanke will discuss ties with H E Sayyid Badr al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, and H E General Sultan bin Mohammed al Nomani, Minister of Royal Office.

The Dutch minister will also join EU High Representative Josep Borrell and other European ministers on a visit to a naval vessel sailing under the flag of the EU NAVFOR ATALANTA mission. The mission’s focus is on countering piracy and other threats to maritime security in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and much of the Indian Ocean. These efforts help to protect Dutch economic and security interests.

On Tuesday, foreign ministers of EU member states and the GCC will meet in Muscat. They will discuss how the EU and the Gulf states can work together in areas such as energy, humanitarian aid and security.