NATO's Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood, Mr. Javier Colomina, visited Oman on 2 and 3 November 2025. This was his first visit to the country.
He met high-level officials, including the Undersecretary for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Khalifa bin Issa Al Harthy, and officials from the Ministry of Defence. He also visited the Maritime Security Centre and delivered a lecture at the National Defence College.
Mr. Colomina shared his views on a range of topics, including the historical decisions taken at the NATO Summit in The Hague - with regard to the 5% defence investment plan to strengthen our collective defence - as well as the evolving international security environment, the implementation of NATO's Southern Neighbourhood Action Plan, and NATO-Oman relations. "Now more than ever, we can see that security is global; security challenges are increasingly interconnected," Mr. Colomina pointed out. "This intricate web of challenges underlines the need to reinforce a 360-degree approach to security; what we call the 'southern flank' is of particular importance and strategic interest to us and to our security," he added. The Special Representative underscored his priorities enshrined in the Southern Neighbourhood Action Plan, approved by Allied leaders at the Washington Summit in 2024.
Mr. Colomina also highlighted "the Sultanate of Oman's role as a mediator in regional affairs and its contribution to dialogue and stability in the wider region," and underscored that "Oman also maintains close bilateral links with a number of NATO Allies, which further supports our shared objectives." He pointed out NATO's readiness to continue its dialogue with Oman and to strengthen the level of practical cooperation, notably through the NATO-ICI Regional Centre in Kuwait.
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