UK and Oman reaffirm Omani sovereignty over its waters in the Strait of Hormuz in joint statement after the Sultan’s State Visit

The United Kingdom and Oman have said in a joint statement that they reaffirm “Oman’s sovereignty over Omani waters in the Strait of Hormuz”, in the text issued by 10 Downing Street on 23 October at the end of the Sultan’s State Visit. The joint statement says the two governments “underscored the importance of adherence to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”, and of maintaining maritime security, freedom of navigation and the safe passage of international shipping.

Sultan Haitham bin Tarik made the visit on 20-22 October as a guest of the King. The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, and the Sultan met at 10 Downing Street on 21 October, the day our earlier report, UK and Oman pledge closer defence and maritime cooperation as Sultan Haitham makes State Visit, was published.

Hormuz language

The Hormuz passage comes at a time when shipping through the strait is under pressure. Our coverage of the latest Iranian claims is in Strait of Hormuz: IRGC says traffic of “non-compliant” ships has stopped; Iran’s blacklist reaches 124 vessels. The UK-Oman text does not name Iran or any other state. It also reaffirms a two-state solution as “the only viable basis for a just and lasting peace between Israel and Palestine”.

Defence and security

The statement describes the defence partnership as “trusted” and says both sides intend to deepen defence-industrial cooperation and military-to-military ties. It calls the Saif Sareea exercise series a flagship expression of the relationship, welcomes preparations for Saif Sareea IV and says the two countries will explore the next phase of long-term exercise cooperation, including capability development, testing and maritime security information exchange. They also agreed to work more closely on cyber security. The framework rests on the 2019 Comprehensive Agreement of Enduring Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation and the 2019 Joint Defence Agreement.

Money and trade

On the economy, the document says UK Export Finance has raised its country limit for Oman by £1.6 billion, giving up to £7 billion of capacity to support UK exports to Oman. The UK Minister for Trade and Oman’s Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion discussed the steps needed for the “highly anticipated” signing of the UK-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement; no date is given.

Other items include a Sovereign Partnership for Cooperation and Promotion of Investment linking the UK’s Office for Investment and the Oman Investment Authority, an agreement between the UK Space Agency and the Oman National Space Programme, the reopening of the Chevening Scholarship for the first time since 2021, and a joint commitment to net zero by 2050. A proposed Oman Green Growth Roadshow delegation is planned for 2027.