Road linking Saudi Arabia and Oman opened for public

MUSCAT: A 740-km highway linking Saudi Arabia and Oman has been officially opened, cutting the land travel time by 16 hours between both states.

The road stretches through some of the toughest terrains in the world. The highway passes through the Empty Quarter and Al Ahsa governorate in Saudi Arabia. The length in Oman is about 160km, while 580km is in the Kingdom.

Oman News Agency, ONA, said in a statement: “The Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcome, in a joint statement, the announcement of the opening of the 725-kilometre Omani-Saudi road, which will contribute to the smooth movement of citizens of the two countries and the integration of supply chains in order to achieve the desired economic integration between the two countries.”

“His Excellency Eng. Saeed bin Hamoud bin Saeed Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, confirmed that the opening of the strategic road, which starts from Ibri Roundabout in Al Dhahirah Governorate and ends at the Saudi Batha Intersection, with a length of 725 km traversed in the Empty Quarter desert, will contribute to strengthening social communication between the brothers in the Sultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia,” the ONA said.

It facilitates traffic and the movement of citizens and residents between the two countries and opens wide logistical lines to support the various commercial, economic, tourism and investment sectors.

His Excellency said in a statement to the Oman News Agency that the road network in the Sultanate of Oman links the new road with Omani ports, free zones and airports, which will contribute to activating the movement of transport and goods and increasing trade exchange between the Sultanate of Oman and the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.