Over the past quarter-century, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad, the Kingdom of Bahrain has worked tirelessly to engage constructively across our region and beyond to strengthen security, uphold stability and deepen prosperity.
Since then, Bahrain has gone from strength to strength, with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister as the driving force behind its growing importance in tackling contemporary regional issues.
At the heart of Bahrain’s diplomatic efforts lies a steadfast commitment to the principles of dialogue, coexistence and mutual respect, extending hands of friendship and cooperation to like-minded friends and partners, as we seek sustainable and mutually beneficial outcomes to the issues affecting the Middle East.
Three issues in particular are especially pressing. First is the conflict in Gaza, where Bahrain called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and detainees, and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian and reconstruction aid.
Another is the conflict in Lebanon, where we urged all parties to abide by the ceasefire and comply with their obligations under Security Council Resolution 1701 and international law.
And finally there is Syria, where, as chair of the Arab League, we advocate for all initiatives within the league aimed at achieving a political solution that preserves the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, safeguards the rights and interests of its people, and helps Syria to play a full, constructive role in the region.
This constructive approach has exemplified Bahrain’s diplomacy and foreign policy. To give just one example, we were proud to host the Arab League summit in May 2024, an event that was not just a gathering of leaders but a testament to our collective determination to improve the lives of our peoples. So we work diligently to ensure that the summit should produce not just words but actionable outcomes.
As a result, the Bahrain Declaration issued by the Arab leaders sets out five key initiatives proposed by the Kingdom and adopted by the summit. Alongside steps to ensure health care and education for those affected by conflict and to deepen Arab cooperation on innovation, the key initiative was to work toward a broad-based, wide-ranging international conference to comprehensively address and resolve the Gaza conflict.
We remain committed to this proposal and the belief that it offers the most promising avenue to finally bring peace to our region and restore hope to the millions affected.
Bilateral and multilateral partnerships also play a crucial role in our strategy, given the critical importance of the international rules-based order for long-term prosperity. To advance this process in 2023, Bahrain and the United States signed a landmark Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement, C-SIPA, aimed at deepening security and prosperity across the globe on the basis of genuine mutual respect among participants.
C-SIPA is designed not as a bilateral arrangement but as the beginning of a multilateral framework that aims to bring together countries with a shared interest in delivering stability and prosperity. It is in this context that we will see the United Kingdom being formally invited by the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United States to become C-SIPA’s third member.
We have done so in recognition of the words spoken by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister at a 2024 meeting of the United Nations General Assembly: “Global challenges not only persist but have intensified. We find ourselves in a far more dangerous and unpredictable time due to major tectonic shifts in the global geopolitical order. The very systems designed to uphold international order are under strain.”
To navigate these turbulent waters, we must uphold the integrity of our international systems and values and adopt a pragmatic, practical approach. Such an approach must, in good faith, keep multilateralism at its core, engaging effectively with partners who have shared aspirations and interests to end conflicts, ease tensions, and resolve key regional and international issues.
Arab nations are not solely focused on regional collaboration. They are actively seeking to position the Middle East within a larger global context. This reflects a growing consensus among our leaders that sustainable stability and prosperity rely not only on immediate security measures, but also on development, mutual respect and interdependence.
Dr. Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Bahrain