BAHRAIN NEWS AGENCY
In recognition of the pivotal role of the Joint Peninsula Shield Force, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain has allocated 163,300 square meters of land to expand the force’s headquarters.
In December 2013, the king, incumbent president of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), officially provided the land to bolster the GCC’s collective defense. The initiative marked the official opening of the front-line headquarters of the joint Peninsula Shield Force.
The inaugural ceremony was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Saudi Crown Prince Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and other GCC defense ministers.
Peninsula Shield Force Commander Maj. Gen. Mutlaq bin Salim Al Azema’a hailed the new headquarters as a milestone of GCC security. He stressed the pivotal role of the Joint Peninsula Shield Force in answering the call of duty. He also paid tribute to GCC leaders for establishing the joint forces.
GCC defense ministers toured the site and received briefings on mobilization readiness and modern field technologies.
Bahrain’s minister of state for defense affairs, Lt.-Gen. Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, hailed the headquarters and stressed the enthusiasm of the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) to build bridges and coordinate with GCC member states.
“The front-line headquarters symbolizes unity and joint military work between the armed forces of the GCC member states,” he said.
The minister and his GCC counterparts also attended a ceremony during which the foundation stone was laid for the Naval Coordination Center for Maritime Security at the Royal Bahrain Naval Force. Al Khalifa addressed the ceremony, stressing the strategic importance of the new center in unifying concepts, building capabilities and enforcing collective security.
He affirmed the pivotal role of the center in protecting the security and stability of Arabian Gulf territorial waters, defending shipping channels and exchanging data. The ceremony was attended by GCC Secretary-General Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, BDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, senior BDF officers and GCC delegations.