During the evacuation of its citizens this week, Oman demonstrated its capacity to manage the current crisis by successfully getting its nationals back into the Sultanate from neighbouring countries, with the cooperation of Gulf partners and local authorities. The operation was well planned, monitored and executed with a focus on ensuring safety throughout the entire operation and demonstrates Muscat’s preference for executing low-risk/high-impact forms of diplomatic activity during critical moments when the region threatens to degenerate.
And as such, the actions of Omani officials (to provide assistance to their citizens abroad) demonstrate that they are prepared to continue supporting their citizens by providing consular services to track returnees, border agencies facilitating border crossing and a commitment from the foreign ministry to take all necessary actions as the situation develops. This is precisely why other governments have low-keyed their trust in Oman to provide guidance when things escalate.
Nevertheless, in addition to their logistical skills, Omani diplomats have raised political concerns due to the ongoing tensions between the USA and Iran. They have expressed disappointment at how the hostilities erupted and developed into tense and violent situations, viewing these incidents as damaging to efforts to stabilise the regional environment and in direct contrast to Oman’s practice of patient diplomacy. Muscat has called for an immediate halt in fighting, stating that negotiations should start immediately; this appeal encompasses moral condemnation of the violence perpetrated against civilians as well as pragmatic worries regarding civilian safety and the economic consequences.
The response from Oman is not coincidental; it has taken some decades for Oman to create a reputation as an ‘interlocutor’ that can act as a ‘corridor’ between Tehran, Gulf capitals and Western countries. A foundation of neutrality, confidentiality, and strong working relationships with key leaders underpin Oman’s reputation as an honest broker. Experts and analysts agree that this soft diplomacy is intentional; Muscat sacrifices visibility for access and uses that access for influence.
Credibility can have real-world consequences. Recently, Oman has been working through diplomatic channels to help facilitate backchannel exchanges for de-escalation and technical talks – even though those efforts are seldom reported as major headlines, they could lead to a possible solution before we see an escalation to full-scale war. Observers from around the world have commented on Oman having established their position of credibility through decades of careful mediation that has created a good reputation as a speaker on behalf of the region for calm and restraint.
The present situation consists of two aspects – humanitarian assistance, returning citizens home to their home country, and frustration with the great powers for their inability to resolve conflict. Together these demonstrate the paradox of Oman – a small country with a large amount of credibility – a reliable facilitator for creating peace in a region where it is hard to find. Source: Times of Oman.
