As part of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s visit to Belgium, Oman and Belgium signed an agreement to boost their partnership in green hydrogen. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed by Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom) and the Belgian Hydrogen Council (BHC), focuses on working together across the hydrogen value chain, highlighting both countries’ commitment to growing the global hydrogen economy.

The agreement aims to align policies, share knowledge, and drive innovation in hydrogen technology. It also looks at opportunities in hydrogen production, infrastructure, transport, and use, while exploring ways to team up with other European countries. The partnership will tackle regulatory challenges and open doors for research and development in the hydrogen space.

“This MoU represents a defining moment in the partnership between Oman and Belgium, advancing our shared ambition to shape the future of the global hydrogen economy,” said H.E. Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals and Chairman of Hydrom. “Oman’s potential capacity as a hub for green hydrogen production, combined with Belgium’s role as a promising hydrogen-based industrial hub and strategic connection point to European markets, will strengthen energy security and create a seamless hydrogen supply chain. Together, we aim to accelerate the world’s transition to clean energy by fostering innovation and building the infrastructure needed to connect producers and markets worldwide.”

Shared focus on green energy

The MoU builds on nearly five decades of strong ties between Oman and Belgium, with a shared focus on green energy. Key milestones include the 47-year Project Development Agreement between Hydrom and Hyport Duqm—a partnership between Oman’s OQ Alternative Energy and Belgium’s DEME—aimed at producing and exporting green hydrogen. This collaboration was further reinforced in 2023 with a declaration of intent between Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals and Belgium’s Ministry of Energy to develop hydrogen certification and trade frameworks.

Oman is steadily positioning itself as a future leader in the global hydrogen economy by building international partnerships that support sustainable growth and technological innovation. Hydrom plays a key role in this vision, serving as the driving force behind Oman’s green hydrogen strategy, enabling transformative projects and advancing critical infrastructure.