SINGAPORE – Sultan Haitham City, pegged as a smart city in Muscat, Oman, will have a slice of Singapore when the whole project is scheduled for completion around 2045.

The suburban metropolis, which is designed to accommodate some 100,000 residents, will have a Singapore Street, just like how the Republic has Muscat Street in Kampong Glam here.

Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tarik made this announcement at a state banquet at the Istana on Dec 14, the second day of his three-day state visit to Singapore.

In a speech, he underscored the “excellent relations” between both countries, and said he was very satisfied with the discussions that are taking place at various levels of both governments.

Oman is keen to develop “strategic partnerships in all areas”, he added.

He said his country is working on becoming a regional hub for green hydrogen industries and is committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, and would welcome Singapore’s partnership in these areas.

“Both Oman and Singapore will continue to work closely together, learning and benefiting from each other’s experiences and strengths to the mutual benefit of both (countries) and our respective regions,” he added.

Speaking at the banquet, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Singapore has also benefited from Oman’s insights and perspectives, and the Republic looks forward to both sides learning from each other and opening up new areas of collaboration.

He called the Sultan’s state visit a “major milestone that enables us to build on this momentum of strengthening relations”, following a “fruitful year”.

Highlights of the year’s bilateral relations include the inaugural Singapore-Oman Strategic Dialogue – the primary platform to discuss bilateral cooperation and exchange views on issues of mutual interest to both countries – which kicked off in December 2022.

Mr Tharman also pointed out that both countries upgraded their respective consulates-general to embassies headed by a charge d’affaires at the start of 2023, and have had a “steady stream” of government and business exchanges.

While Singapore and Oman established diplomatic ties 38 years ago, he noted that both countries’ ties go back centuries through trade and culture.

There are historical links too, pointed out President Tharman, in Singapore’s physical infrastructure, in particular in Muscat Street. It was redeveloped in 2012 in collaboration with the Muscat Municipality, he said.

Eight-metre-high granite arches with ornate Omani carvings grace both ends of the street, which is also decorated with murals painted by Omani artists and mosaic artwork.

Mr Tharman said: “It is a thriving part of the Kampong Glam heritage district. In fact, I would say it is one of the liveliest parts of the district.”

The visit by the Sultan and his delegation “marks a new chapter in relations” between both countries, said Mr Tharman, who is hosting his first state visit since taking office.

The Sultan, who is on his first state visit to Singapore at the invitation of President Tharman, is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes ministers.

Sultan Haitham also met separately with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana earlier on Dec 14.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said both leaders welcomed the good momentum in bilateral exchanges and the convening of the Singapore-Oman Strategic Dialogue, and had a useful exchange of views on regional and international geopolitical developments.

In a Facebook post following their meeting, PM Lee said Sultan Haitham shared Oman’s plans to build up its renewable energy, logistics and other sectors, and that Singapore is happy to explore opportunities with Oman for mutual benefits.

He also noted that both countries are maritime nations straddling strategic waterways, and recognise the importance of a rules-based international order, multilateralism and open trade.

As a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Oman participates in the Council’s Free Trade Agreement with Singapore (GSFTA), said PM Lee.

He added: “Singapore looks forward to working with Oman towards the upgrade of the GSFTA, together with our other Gulf partners.”

During the visit, two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed.

The first is between Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth. Both countries will explore mutual exchanges and cooperation in the areas of cultural and youth development.

They include holding cultural and youth exchange events and programmes in both countries, exchanging information about literature, arts and cultural identity, as well as sharing experiences and cooperation in those fields and creative cultural industries.

Through the MOU, both ministries are also encouraged to support translation and publishing initiatives and facilitate the publication of literary works in both countries.

Both sides also agreed to work on improving library operations by sharing information about using technology in library operations, as well as the protection, restoration, and digitalisation of collections.

Meanwhile, the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise signed an MOU with Oman’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion to deepen collaboration in the economic development of Oman.

The agreement comes after meetings with both parties, following which Oman had expressed interest to work with SCE to aggregate relevant expertise from Singapore and adopt its model in developing areas such as promotion of investments, increasing exports, growing companies and building the nation’s branding.

Sultan Haitham also visited the Singapore Botanic Gardens and had a new orchid hybrid, the Dendrobium H.M. Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, named in his honour.

It is a robust, free-flowering orchid hybrid that produces semi-arching inflorescences of 40cm in length that bear 25 to 30 flowers, said the National Parks Board.

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will call on Sultan Haitham on Dec 15.