BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 29. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, met with Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal Al Maawali, Chairman of the Consultative Council of the Sultanate of Oman, during her official visit to the country on January 29, the parliamentary press service told Trend.
Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal Al Maawali welcomed Speaker Sahiba Gafarova and expressed his gratitude for her acceptance of the invitation to visit Oman. He highlighted the strong political and other relations between the two countries and emphasized the special role of parliaments in fostering bilateral ties. The visit of the Parliament speaker was noted as a contribution to further expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and Oman.
The chairman of the Consultative Council also stressed that the close ties between the peoples of Azerbaijan and Oman serve as a strong foundation for enhancing bilateral relations.
Speaker Gafarova expressed her appreciation for the invitation and hospitality extended by Oman and recalled with satisfaction her first meeting with Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal Al Maawali in Algeria in January 2023 during the 17th session of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) Member States (PUIC), noting that they have continued discussions within international organizations since then. She also highlighted her previous visits to Azerbaijan by her counterpart for the 14th and 15th plenary sessions of the Asia Parliamentary Assembly in February 2024 and 2025, before arriving in Oman for this official visit.
During the meeting, both sides noted the significant potential for developing cooperation across all areas, including the economic, trade, investment, transport, and tourism sectors. The opening of an Azerbaijani embassy in Oman was recognized as a milestone that has elevated bilateral relations.
The discussion also underscored the importance of education and culture. Speaker Gafarova highlighted the visit of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, to Oman earlier this month, which is expected to further strengthen cultural cooperation between the two countries.
Both parties emphasized the role of inter-parliamentary relations in supporting bilateral and multilateral links, noting the importance of parliamentary friendship groups and platforms such as the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) and the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal Al Maawali remarked on witnessing Azerbaijan’s economic development under the wise leadership of its president. Other topics of mutual interest were also discussed during the meeting.
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