Crown Prince: Manama Dialogue a forum to develop stronger understanding and solutions to regional security threats

Manama, Dec. 10(BNA): His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, today welcomed senior delegates from the global foreign policy and defence community to Bahrain’s 12th Manama Dialogue security conference. In partnership with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Bahrain has hosted the region’s premier security conference for over a decade. The event provides a unique setting for leaders from across the world to gather and discuss approaches to regional security challenges. The Crown Prince said that this year’s Manama Dialogue takes place at a crucial juncture as a number of critical issues are challenging stability in the Middle East and impacting global security. In this regard, the Crown Prince highlighted that since leaders last met at the Manama Dialogue, the world has witnessed a significant number of hateful terror attacks across the world. The Crown Prince stressed that the Manama Dialogue provides the ideal setting for officials and leading thinkers to discuss, debate and agree new approaches to confront and eliminate terrorism at its root. On this note, the Crown Prince underscored the need for the global community to better recognise the threat posed by the rise of extremist ideologies today; and, that it must strive to better understand them in order to amass the appropriate political, economic and military response. 
 In regards to the Kingdom’s response to regional and international security threats, the Crown Prince said that Bahrain continues to play a strong and active role alongside its GCC and international partners to counter terrorism. This includes participating from the outset in the international coalition’s campaign against Da’esh and providing strategic and logistical support to the ongoing Saudi-led coalition, pursuing the return of stability to Yemen. The Crown Prince concluded by underlining the Kingdom’s firm commitment to advancing multilateral engagement and private diplomacy in resolving conflict, and expressed his confidence that the serious discussions over the next two days can work to achieve this. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson delivered the Manama Dialogue’s key note address, in which he hailed the strong 200-year relationship between Bahrain and the United Kingdom, while emphasising the need to build on existing political, military and economic ties to tackle complex security challenges. In this regard, the Foreign Secretary affirmed that any crisis in the Arabian Gulf is one for Britain, and underscored the UK’s unwavering commitment to the region’s stability including as part of the international coalition to defeat Da’esh. The Foreign Secretary concluded his remarks by stressing that the UK remains committed to the Gulf’s continued development and prosperity and will continue to work closely with all GCC partners, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to ensure the region fulfills its long-term ambitions and aspirations. A number of senior Bahraini officials also attended the opening event of the 12th Manama Dialogue.