Oman and Uzbekistan explore documentary and scientific cooperation

Oman and Uzbekistan are looking to deepen cooperation through the documents, manuscripts and historical sources that connect Oman with Central Asia.

The discussions took place during a visit by a delegation from Oman’s National Records and Archives Authority to archival, scientific, intellectual and cultural institutions in Samarkand, Bukhara and Tashkent. The delegation was led by the authority’s chairman, Dr. Hamad Mohammed Al Dhoyani, and joined by Oman’s ambassador to Uzbekistan, Wafa Jabr Al Busaidi.

The institutions discussed preserving, maintaining, restoring and digitizing documents and manuscripts. They also considered microfilming, scientific research, publishing, capacity building and exchanging archival sources of mutual interest.

The delegation visited the Imam Al Bukhari Center, the Samarkand Document Archive Branch, Bukhara State University, the Abu Rayhan Biruni Institute of Oriental Studies, the Islamic Civilization Center and Uzbekistan’s National Archives. It also reviewed Uzbek methods for managing archival collections and electronic archiving technologies.

The Omani authority and the Abu Rayhan Biruni Institute agreed to activate their existing memorandum of cooperation. Planned areas include microfilming, manuscript restoration, catalog studies, sharing copies of manuscripts, research and publication. Al Dhoyani called for clear work programs to turn the countries’ historical and cultural ties into exchanges of knowledge and expertise, while Al Busaidi said the visit reflected mutual interest in expanding scientific, cultural and historical cooperation.