The United States and the Sultanate of Oman held the U.S.-Oman Joint Military Commission (JMC) in Muscat, Oman, on March 5-6, 2024. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro led the U.S. delegation. Secretary General, His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Bin Nasser Al–Za'abi, led the Oman delegation.
The JMC is the premier bilateral forum for senior U.S. and Omani government and defense officials to discuss ongoing defense and military cooperation and to advance the U.S.-Oman defense relationship.
DASD Shapiro and Secretary General Al-Za'abi reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Oman strategic partnership. The delegations conferred on a broad range of security challenges throughout the region, including maritime and border security threats as well as the importance of deterring threats from any state or non-state actor seeking to exploit tensions in the region. The U.S. participants also briefed on developments in the Israel-Gaza war, U.S.-led efforts to restore security for commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea, and U.S participates collaborated with their Omani counterparts on ways to grow the defense partnership over the coming years, including by strengthening border security initiatives and maritime domain awareness. The JMC included sessions on defense cooperation, military operations and agreements, and strategic initiatives.
The U.S. delegation expressed gratitude for Oman's continued partnership and its leadership role in advancing a more prosperous, stable, and secure Middle East. Both sides agreed on the importance of strengthening the U.S.-Oman defense and security partnership through joint training, exercises, and working together to expand regional cooperation to address shared threats.
