Oman and the Indian Ocean Rim

Abstract

46 *Michael B. Bishku is Professor of History at Georgia Regents University in Augusta. He is a member of the Editorial Board of Oxford University Press’ Oxford Bibliographies Online for Islamic Studies. He has published numerous articles on Middle Eastern diplomatic history and politics and is a former president of both the Association of Third World Studies (1995-1996) and the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies (2005-2006). 1 M. Najmuz Zafar, “Omani Population Hits 3.8mn. Mark,” Muscat Daily, April 23, 2013. Available at: http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Oman/Oman-population-hits-3.83mnmark -27eq. (Accessed on January 26, 2014). According to these figures, Omanis account for 56% of Oman’s total population with the remainder comprised of expatriates. Oman’s population is much smaller than all its immediate neighbors. These statistics come from the National Center for Statistics and Information, an Omani government department. It should be noted that these expatriate workers are not citizens. 2 Marc J. O’Reilly, “Omanibalancing: Oman Confronts an Uncertain Future,” Middle East Journal, Vol. 52, No. 1 (Spring 1998), pp. 70-84; and Fred Halliday, Arabia without Sultans: A Survey of Political Instability in the Arab World (New York: Vintage Books, 1975). 3 Uzi Rabi, “Oman and the Arab-Israeli Conflict: The Reflection of a Pragmatic Foreign Policy,” Israel Affairs, Vol. 11, No. 3 (July 2005), pp. 535-551; and Jacob Abadi, “Israel’s Relations with Oman and the Persian Gulf States,” Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Fall 1996), pp. 46-73. Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Vol. XXXVII, No.4, Summer 2014 Oman and the Indian Ocean Rim Michael B. Bishku* Oman is a country slightly smaller than Kansas with a population of just over two million citizens,1 located on the edge of the Arab world a couple of centuries ago it possessed a vast maritime empire. It is also trifurcated with the lion’s share of its territory and a few offshore islands lying on the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman; in addition, Oman includes a minuscule enclave (Madha) located in the midst of the eastern United Arab Emirates and a small exclave (Musandam) guarding the narrow Strait of Hormuz, entrance to the Persian Gulf. While maintaining close ties to the West, Oman is also a member of the Nonaligned Movement (NAM). As such, it has developed a somewhat unique and pragmatic foreign policy that emphasizes cooperation, dialogue and cultural exchange. Studies on Omani foreign relations in the past have concentrated primarily on that country’s policies and interactions within the Arab world,2 its attitude regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict,3 or Oman’s place in global politics and its connections 47 with the United States and other states in the Western alliance.4 This article, however, will deal with Oman’s ties with countries located on the Indian Ocean rim going west to east from South Africa to Indonesia. (Australia is excluded as it is regarded as a Western nation.) These relationships are important for political, economic and/or cultural reasons. Oman is a member of the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC, formerly known as the Islamic Conference Organization) as well as the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC). The Omanis are a diverse society, including ethnic Arabs, Persians, East Africans and South Asians, but Oman is dependent, like other GCC states, upon expatriates, especially from South and Southeast Asia, to do both skilled and manual labor. These workers account for about 40% of Oman’s population around 3.3 million or more, a figure that the Omani government would like to reduce to at least 33%.5 Although Oman is regarded as a rentier state6 it is concerned with planning for a post-oil economy in the future, one that will take of advantage of its geographical location and political and economic ties. Before considering Oman’s multilateral and bilateral connections with the nations located on the Indian Ocean rim, it is necessary to examine the principles of that country’s foreign relations. Principles of Oman’s Foreign Policy...