Muscat – His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik will begin a state visit to Algeria on Sunday, marking a significant step in efforts to deepen bilateral ties between Oman and the North African nation.

The first bilateral state visit by an Omani Sultan to Algeria, it reflects the growing cooperation between the two countries across several sectors, including renewable energy, petrochemicals, agriculture, technology and tourism.

Oman and Algeria enjoy relations spanning over 50 years, characterised by shared stance on regional and global issues and commitment to Arab solidarity, peace and international law.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune visited Muscat in October 2024 when Oman and Algeria signed eight memoranda of understanding in areas including investment promotion, education, sustainable development, media, employment and for establishment of an Omani-Algerian investment fund.

The joint fund aims to facilitate partnerships in sectors such as energy, mining, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and logistics.

In February, an Omani ministerial delegation visited Algeria for discussions with their counterparts and field visits to assess investment opportunities. The following month, an Algerian delegation visited Oman to explore collaboration in transport and logistics. The visit included a tour of Salalah Free Zone and Port.

“This visit comes amid exceptional progress in bilateral relations,” said Saif Nasser al Badai, Oman’s Ambassador to Algeria. “It will yield fruitful outcomes for future cooperation guided by the vision and directives of both countries’ leaderships.”

He added, “The developments expected in the coming days make me optimistic about the prospects of economic collaboration between our two countries.”

The number of registered Algerian businesses in Oman increased to 423 by the end of 2023 from 251 in 2022 – a 68.5% rise.

Preliminary figures from National Centre for Statistics and Information show that the volume of trade between the two countries reached RO62.988mn in 2024, up from RO41.417mn in 2023, representing a 48% increase. Omani exports to Algeria amounted to RO62.3mn, while imports stood at around RO707,900.

The number of Algerian visitors to Oman rose to 5,222 in 2024, up 7.5% from the previous year.