IBSS Strengthens Scientific Cooperation with Omani Organizations

On February 12, 2025, in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS) of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Sixth Ocean International Foundation. The official meeting between IBSS Director, Dr. Roman Gorbunov, and the founder and CEO of the Foundation, Ammar Salim Ahmed Al-Ghassani, took place at the Environment Authority, with Minister Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al-Amri in attendance.

“Working with Oman and signing the agreement with the Foundation is a significant step in strengthening Russia’s scientific, technical, and environmental cooperation with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council,” said Roman Gorbunov. “This opens up great opportunities for scientific studies, including applied research. I would like to note that the staff of the Institute have long-standing and positive ties with this country. Over many years, they have conducted research here, so today’s signing of the MoU marks a formal return of the IBSS, which will strengthen our presence in the scientifically important region of the Persian Gulf and expand joint research activities between scientists of the two countries.”

The IBSS delegation’s visit to Oman, which included Director Roman Gorbunov and Senior Researcher of the Department of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Mikhail Chesalin, involved several business meetings. Representatives of the Institute visited the Aquaculture Centre at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources of Oman, where they discussed industry development and prospects for joint research with the institution’s director, Dr. Khalfan M. Al-Rashdi. They also held talks with the Russian Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman, Oleg Levin.

On February 17, at Sultan Qaboos University, the IBSS delegates met with university representatives: Dr. Mohammed Al-Abri, Assitant Dean of the Faculty of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, and Sergey Dobretsov, Director of the Marine Biotechnology Centre. The outcome of this dialogue was the decision to hold a webinar in the near future involving scientists from both countries, explore the possibility of signing an official cooperation agreement between the scientific organizations, and consider prospects for implementing joint projects, particularly in climate change modeling and in the fields of aquaculture and biotechnology.

“Currently, the Omani government’s policy aims to diversify the economy so that the country’s income is not solely dependent on the oil and gas sector,” said Mikhail Chesalin, Senior Researcher of the Department of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry. “Special attention is given to agriculture and fisheries to ensure food security. These fields have seen significant growth in recent years, with fish product exports becoming the second largest after oil and gas. The country’s development plans up to 2040 envision not just linear growth in production, but also ensuring its sustainability in harmony with the environment. Russian-Omani ties are actively developing, with many Russian investors entering the Omani market. For instance, the largest aquaculture company in the country is already managed by Russian specialists, and Yandex has launched a taxi service in Muscat and is actively integrating AI into various sectors. Meanwhile, the country’s challenges are exacerbated by climate change. The changes occurring in the Arabian Sea are similar to those in the Black Sea—the upper layer of life is decreasing, so Oman is interested in modeling these changes.”