On 16 November, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi, who began his unannounced official visit to Syria, according to SANA news agency.

The growing cooperation between the two countries in various fields and the latest developments in the region and around the world was the focus of the talks, the presidential press office reported.

The president hailed Oman’s balanced and transparent stance and considered sincere dialogue necessary to solve problems and face challenges.

Meanwhile, the Omani foreign minister described Syria as a critical country in the region and expressed his country’s determination to continue consultations and coordination with Damascus on the situation in the area and issues of common interest.

Minister Al Busaidi affirmed that his country attaches particular importance to developing Omani-Syrian cooperation in all sectors that achieve the interests of the two brotherly nations, according to RT.

It is the third visit of the Omani foreign minister to Damascus. The most recent was earlier this year in January when Busaidi met with his Syrian counterpart Dr. Faysal Mikdad.

“The relations with the sisterly Sultanate of Oman have been continued and have not been severed…The Sultanate has stood by Syria in its war against terrorism,” Mikdad said upon Al-Busaidi’s arrival on 31 January.

“We used to meet in Muscat and now receive our brothers from the Sultanate in Damascus with open hearts and minds,” adding that “relations between our two brotherly countries have been continuous and have not been severed for many years. I will not limit this to the beginning of the crisis in Syria,” Mikdad said during a joint statement made to the Syrian press.

Despite reducing its diplomatic presence in the country in 2012, Oman was one of the few Arab states to maintain relations with Syria after the start of the US-backed war in 2011.

Over the past years, several Arab states have rekindled relationships with Syria, pushing for the country to reintegrate into the regional fold.

In October 2020, Oman appointed an ambassador to Syria, fully reestablishing its diplomatic presence in the country.