Omani Deputy Prime Minister Heads to Brussels for First GCC-EU Summit

MUSCAT: On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, HH Sayyid Asa"ad bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and the Personal Representative of His Majesty the Sultan, has departed for the Kingdom of Belgium to lead Oman's delegation at the inaugural GCC-EU joint summit. The summit is scheduled to take place in Brussels on Wednesday, 16 October 2024. According to Oman News Agency, HH Sayyid Asa"ad's departure was marked by the presence of several high-ranking officials including Sayyid Saud Hilal Al Busaidi, Governor of Muscat, Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Al Sa"eedi, Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Dr. Saud Hamoud al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, and Dr. Mohammed Said Al Maamari, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs. The delegation accompanying HH Sayyid Asa"ad includes prominent figures such as Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Invest ment Promotion, and Ruwa Issa Al Zedjali, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of the Sultanate of Oman's Mission to the EU. The summit represents a significant step in strengthening cooperation between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the European Union, focusing on various strategic, economic, and political issues. The Omani delegation, under the leadership of HH Sayyid Asa"ad, aims to enhance mutual interests and foster deeper ties between the GCC states and the EU.