Officials from the United States and Oman convened in Muscat on January 25, 2026, for the third Strategic Dialogue between the two countries. The meeting was attended by Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Issa al-Harthy, Under Secretary for Political Affairs at Oman's Foreign Ministry, and Allison Hooker, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
Both delegations highlighted the long-standing relationship between their countries and reaffirmed a shared commitment to regional peace and stability. They described the strategic dialogue as an important platform for open discussion and cooperation on regional and global issues.
According to a joint statement: "The United States and Omani delegations reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Oman partnership, one of the oldest in the Middle East, grounded in mutual respect, shared interests, and a longstanding commitment to regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Both sides underscored the importance of regular strategic dialogue as a platform for candid exchange, cooperation, and coordinated efforts on regional and global challenges."
Discussions included efforts to support diplomacy in reducing tensions across the region. To mark 250 years since U.S. independence, both sides signed a Statement of Cooperation celebrating over two centuries of bilateral ties. They agreed to deepen collaboration in education through academic partnerships with American universities operating programs within Oman.
Trade relations were also addressed during the dialogue. The two nations acknowledged that trade between them reached approximately $3.3 billion in 2025 under their Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Regular meetings of their FTA Joint Committee resumed in December 2024 after a pause. The opening of an Oman Trade Office in the United States last year was noted as part of ongoing efforts to expand investment opportunities that align with Oman’s Vision 2040 goals.
A memorandum was signed between the U.S. embassy and American Chamber of Commerce Oman to further business cooperation between both countries.
Opportunities were discussed for strengthening commercial links in logistics, aviation, infrastructure sectors—areas seen as key to Oman's role in regional connectivity—with both governments committing to increase engagement aimed at attracting more U.S. investment.
The delegations welcomed Oman’s plan to join the Artemis Accords during this year’s Middle East Space Conference hosted in Muscat—a step reflecting shared priorities regarding peaceful exploration of outer space—and expressed interest in renewing scientific cooperation agreements.
They also discussed critical minerals supply chains; progress was made toward finalizing a bilateral Critical Minerals Framework supporting mining development initiatives within Oman.
Both parties agreed that secure digital infrastructure is crucial for economic growth and national security—including responsible artificial intelligence development—and pledged greater collaboration between technology sectors from each country.
Subnational relationships featured prominently; both governments supported plans for a Sister Port Memorandum between Louisiana (U.S.) ports and Duqm Port (Oman) intended to boost commercial exchanges. Additionally, growing ties with Arizona through military partnership programs were recognized as valuable contributions toward ongoing collaboration.
Exchange programs such as BridgeUSA—which connects young professionals from Oman with experiences in America—were reviewed alongside cooperative projects involving museums and cultural heritage preservation.
The dialogue concluded with both countries reiterating their intention "to deepen their partnership across political, economic, and cultural fields" while working together toward enhanced security and prosperity throughout their region.
