MUSCAT: His Excellency Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, Oman’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, held talks with Her Excellency Maria Theresa Lazaro, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, to review the longstanding friendly relations between the two nations and discuss ways to strengthen partnerships in areas of mutual interest.

The two ministers highlighted the Oman-Philippines Forum as a strategic platform for fostering institutional dialogue and unlocking new opportunities for collaboration between governments, the private sector and academic institutions. They identified trade, investment, logistics, tourism, energy and technology as priority sectors for future cooperation, aligned with both countries’ goals of achieving sustainable and inclusive development.

Both sides also praised the steady progress in bilateral relations, noting that mutual trust and strong people-to-people ties—particularly the significant contributions of the Filipino community in Oman—remain central to deepening cooperation and broadening its scope in the years ahead.

The meeting also covered regional and international developments, with the two ministers exchanging views on diplomatic efforts to enhance security, stability and peace. They stressed the importance of continued coordination to safeguard the free and secure movement of maritime navigation and global supply chains along international commercial routes.

The meeting was attended by His Excellency Engineer Nasser bin Saeed Al Manwari, Oman’s Ambassador to the Philippines, along with senior officials from both countries.