The Foreign Secretary is visiting Oman and Qatar this week to deepen the UK’s cooperation with Gulf partners on trade, defence, and regional security.

Key Goals of the Visit:

- Strengthen collaboration with Gulf countries on economic, defence, and security matters.

- Promote de-escalation in regional conflicts and counter threats, particularly from Iran.

- Support the UK Government’s Plan for Change, focused on boosting the economy and safeguarding national security.

In Oman, the Foreign Secretary will mark 225 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Oman. Discussions will focus on expanding efforts in green, sustainable growth, and addressing regional security challenges. He will also engage on recent U.S.-Iran discussions hosted in Oman, reaffirming the UK’s position that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon. The UK remains committed to a diplomatic resolution and will continue working with international partners to achieve it.

Regional security will be a major theme, including UK-Omani cooperation on issues like the Israel-Gaza conflict and threats to international shipping from Houthi forces in the Red Sea—a crucial trade route through which over $1 trillion in goods pass annually.

In Qatar, the Foreign Secretary will oversee the UK-Qatar Strategic Dialogue, reinforcing a partnership that has already delivered major investments in energy, real estate, and defence. This cooperation supports both the UK’s economic growth and Qatar’s development ambitions, building on the success of the existing multi-billion-pound Strategic Investment Partnership.

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:

“The UK’s relationship with the Gulf continues to go from strength to strength. Our partnerships are unlocking huge investment opportunities in the UK and creating jobs in the industries of the future which is at the very heart of our Plan for Change.

But boosting growth is reliant on building stability. It’s vital we engage closely with partners like Qatar and Oman to strengthen security in the region, this includes countering Iran’s malign activity in the region and bringing the war in Gaza to end”.

The Foreign Secretary will also advance talks on a Free Trade Agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which could boost UK-GCC trade by up to 16%, potentially adding £8.6 billion annually to the UK economy and creating jobs across the country.

Given the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the Foreign Secretary will stress the urgent need for a ceasefire and a return to diplomatic efforts to achieve lasting peace. Stability in the Gulf is vital not just for regional prosperity, but for the UK’s own security and economic interests.

The visit to Qatar will also strengthen defence ties, particularly through cooperation between the RAF and the Qatar Amiri Joint Squadron, which is training the next generation of pilots critical to maintaining air security across the Middle East. Photo by Chris Eason, Wikimedia commons.