Oman reaffirms its position on the necessity of keeping vital waterways open and available for navigation - Sarmad

Oman reaffirmed today, Friday, its firm position that vital waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, must remain open and available for navigation, free from any measures that could impede freedom of navigation and international trade.

In a statement, the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this position was expressed by Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi during his remarks at the ministerial meeting held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the “Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia” in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

The statement quoted Al Busaidi as emphasizing that international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), constitutes the foundation of maritime security, and that respecting its provisions safeguards freedom of navigation, which is of paramount importance to global trade, food security, and energy security.

He further stressed that maintaining open and secure waterways requires responsible cooperation among littoral states and all other beneficiaries of maritime routes, citing the cooperation in the Strait of Malacca and Singapore as a model that enhances trust and consolidates collective responsibility.