Cabinet meeting: Bahrain’s significant achievements celebrated on its 45th National Day

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, today chaired the Cabinet meeting at Gudaibiya Palace. Following the Cabinet meeting, Cabinet Secretary General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al Nasser, gave the following statement: At the start of the meeting, the Cabinet praised His Majesty King Hamad’s National Day speech and highlighted His Majesty’s far-reaching directives across national, regional and international issues. The Cabinet reaffirmed the government’s commitment to achieve these directives to support Bahrain’s long-term prosperity through the implementation of all national frameworks and strategies and the development of the Kingdom’s political, economic and security relations with partners and allies. The Cabinet went on to commend the good wishes expressed by the Kingdom’s citizens and residents throughout Bahrain’s National Day celebrations which commemorates the establishment of the modern Bahraini state during the reign of the founder Shaikh Ahmed Al Fateh, in 1783 AD; the 45th anniversary of the Kingdom being fully recognised by the United Nations; and, the 17th anniversary of His Majesty the King’s accession to the throne. Recalling the sacrifices made by Bahrain’s fallen servicemen in defending the Kingdom and safeguarding its security and stability, the Cabinet underscored the importance for all to remember and pay respects to the families of these soldiers on Commemoration Day. The Cabinet then extended its congratulations to His Majesty King Hamad and the people of Bahrain on the occasion of the new year, emphasising the need to advance all efforts to advance global peace and stability. The Cabinet then congratulated the Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa on his recent successful medical tests, noting that the many well-wishes His Royal Highness received from world leaders and citizens reflects his reputation and standing across the world. In this regard, the Cabinet highlighted the key role His Royal Highness has played in advancing the Kingdom’s development across all sectors. The Cabinet went on to discuss the decree concerning state-owned land investment regulations, and agreed on the adoption of new policies related to the registration of state-owned ships. The Cabinet also reviewed the Authority for Quality of Education and Training’s annual report and discussed a memorandum related to establishing youth as a demographic category in the Kingdom. Turning to international affairs, the Cabinet condemned the heinous terrorist attack that took place in Karak, Jordan, and reaffirmed Bahrain’s support to Jordan in its efforts to uphold security and protect its citizens. Additionally, the Cabinet condemned in the strongest terms the heinous assassination of Russia’s Ambassador to Turkey in Ankara, reiterating its unflinching commitment to Russia and Turkey in tackling extremism in all its forms. The Cabinet also extended its condolences to the President and people of Russia following the tragic military plane crash in the Black Sea region. The Cabinet went on to condemn the abhorrent terrorist attacks that took place last week in Berlin, Germany and Aden, Yemen, highlighting that Bahrain will continue to support its allies in the international fight against all forms of terrorism and their warped ideologies. A number of memorandums submitted by ministries and ministerial committees were also discussed during this week’s Cabinet meeting, including: In pursuit of guaranteeing further transparency, competitiveness and equal opportunities, the Cabinet approved a memorandum submitted by the Government Executive Committee chaired by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, concerning state-owned land investment regulations. In this regard, the Cabinet assigned the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditure to follow-up on the regulations. The Cabinet reviewed and approved the Authority for Quality of Education and Training’s annual report, which included a memorandum covering the assessment results of various education and training institutions. The memorandum was presented by His Highness Shaikh Mohamed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, President of the Supreme Council for the Development of Education and Training. The Cabinet approved a memorandum covering new regulations for the registration of state-owned ships which will work to reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a cargo and logistics hub. The Cabinet then issued a decree covering regulations for granting foreign ships a Bahraini registration, and assigned the Minister of Transport and Telecommunications to be responsible for implementation. The Cabinet referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs a memorandum by the Minister of Youth and Sports on new processes and procedures to identify ages of the Kingdom’s youth aligned with international best practice. The Cabinet also discussed a number of proposals and took the necessary arrangements following the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.