As H E Veronique Aulagnon, the French Ambassador to Oman, prepares to bid farewell to the sultanate, she shares her reflections and experiences in an exclusive interview with Muscat Daily. Here are her final thoughts on her remarkable journey in Oman:

How fruitful has been your posting in the sultanate? Will you miss Oman?

Representing France in Oman was an honour and a joy. It was an honour to have contributed to the renewal of the centuries-old friendship between our two countries, by projecting it resolutely towards the future. It was also a joy to have been able to travel and introduce more and more French visitors to this immense and magnificent country, from Muscat to Nizwa, from Salalah to Khasab, via Sohar, Sur, the Wahiba Sands, Jabal Akhdar, Jabal Shams, Al Hamra, Misfat Al Abreyeen, Masirah, Bar Al Hikman, Ibra, Al Ayn, and so many other places, which dazzled me. Above all, it was a joy to have contributed to cultivating and expanding human ties with Omanis – representatives of the authorities and established bodies, as well as entrepreneurs, researchers, teachers, artists, students, and pupils. I will miss Oman, but Oman is now part of me – through memories and lasting friendships. Of course, I will be back with my family.

Could you share some pleasant and some not-so-pleasant moments during your stay in Oman?

There are so many memorable moments from my stay in Oman that it is hard to select only a few. But let me share three of them, related to nature, heritage, and women leadership.

Nature: I have travelled extensively throughout the country with my family and visitors, from dune bashing to hiking, diving, and even kite surfing. I have a soft spot for Misfat al Abreyeen and Bar al Hikman, where I spent hours watching the changing landscapes and listening to the stories of ancient times and the spirited jokes of my Omani hosts.

Heritage: I visited most of Oman’s historical places, but two moments come specifically to mind. Firstly, the visit to the hardly reachable painted caves in the Dhofar mountains where French archaeologists have been researching for years, which I was privileged to reach with outstanding colleagues from the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism. Secondly, my visit to the UNESCO-enlisted necropolises of Al-Ayn and Bat with French archaeological teams, and the memorable hospitality offered on this occasion by the sheikh of Al Dreez, who even organised a special horse race for us.

Women Leadership: As a woman Ambassador and as part of France’s strong feminist diplomacy, I engaged in activities to promote women, through our annual flagship ‘Empower Women’ event within the Oman-France Friendship Association, many informal gatherings that I hosted, and events such as the latest on women and sport, as a contribution to the spirit of the Olympic Games now taking place in Paris. I was privileged to meet incredibly inspiring women, Omanis and foreigners, who have become friends for life.

I do not have unpleasant memories of my stay in Oman, but like many people in Oman, as well as in France and around the world, I feel deeply saddened about the ongoing horrific human suffering in Gaza. This is a test of our collective willingness and capacity to defend peace, human rights, and international justice. France has been very clear about where it stands on this issue.

What do you consider your most significant achievements or milestones during your tenure?

While we celebrated, in 2022, the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, our bilateral relationship goes back 400 years. Together with the Omani authorities, we took several initiatives over the last three years to build on this strong legacy, around three pillars – diplomacy and security, business, and education and culture.

Diplomacy and Security: We intensified our political dialogue and security cooperation, which was much needed in a particularly challenging international environment, marked by at least two major crises – the invasion of Ukraine and the war in Gaza. France values the positive role played by Oman in diffusing tensions in the region, as our president expressed to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik during a phone call on June 15. He also thanked HM for the instrumental support provided by the sultanate to help secure the release of one of the French nationals detained in Iran. We recently decided to enhance our bilateral dialogue in the format of a high-level annual strategic dialogue, with the first round scheduled later in 2024, in Muscat. This will help provide stronger impetus to our bilateral cooperation, in view of upcoming high-level visits.

Business: We worked to support more business-to-business connections and mutual investments. Over 40 French companies are operating in Oman, some of them for many decades, particularly in the sectors of energy, security, water, and waste management. Over the last three years, as a result of our joint efforts, the French footprint increased and expanded to new sectors identified as priorities within Oman Vision 2040, namely renewables and green hydrogen, fisheries, tourism, and hopefully soon, transport. Their contribution to the transfer of technologies and training is highly recognised. We are also working on an initiative to promote joint investments.

Education and Culture: I am proud of the new initiatives we have taken to foster more people-to-people relationships. We just launched a joint scholarship programme for Masters, whereby more Omani students will be able to study in France, which is one of the top world destinations for foreign students and has among the best universities, research centres, and incubators. We expanded the French international school of Muscat, which is now fully accredited and offers a bilingual French curriculum, as well as the French-Omani Cultural Centre of Muscat. We took many initiatives to showcase French culture, notably through our annual flagship festival, the ‘French Weeks’. We are supporting the development of cultural and creative industries in Oman, notably in the movie industry and fashion. A final word on the French-Omani Museum, ‘Bait Faransa’, a symbol of our joint history, whose renovation started in 2023. France will contribute with the best of its expertise with the aim of transforming it into a vibrant space open to young people and artists.

As you prepare to depart, what advice or insights would you offer to your successor?

My successor is a top career diplomat with strong expertise in the Arab world. Oman is indeed a very attractive posting for French diplomats, and not just because of the beauty of the country and the hospitality of its people. To him, as to all arriving fellow ambassadors from other countries, I offer the same advice, one that was given to me by wise peers – explore the country and mingle with people from all backgrounds, as Oman is a place where you will be welcomed in private houses probably like nowhere else in the GCC.