Foreign Ministry Undersecretary meets UN Assistant-Secretary-General

New York: July 19 (BNA): The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Affairs, Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, met the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Stephen Matthias, on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York. The Undersecretary for International Affairs affirmed the keenness of the Kingdom of Bahrain to enhance cooperation with the office of the Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs through exchanging expertise and building capacities, commending the partnership between the Kingdom and various UN committees and agencies. He noted the important role played by the United Nations in building and improving the legal framework for the maintenance of international peace and security and in introducing modern and fair rules on commercial transactions. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah highlighted the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain to keep abreast of international law with its different fields and to respect the resolutions of international legitimacy. In this regard, he noted the role of the National Committee to follow up the Kingdom's commitment to all UN Security Council resolutions, which reflects the Kingdom’s belief in the role of the UN in preserving international peace and security. He expressed the Kingdom’s desire to strengthen cooperation with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), adding that the Kingdom is ready to share experiences and maximize coordination and cooperation with committees on international trade law. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has succeeded in developing the investment environment in accordance with internationally recognized standards. He added that the Kingdom is a pioneering country in the application of the provisions of the UNCITRAL Act, following the promulgation of Law No. 9 of 2015 on Commercial Arbitration. The Undersecretary for International Affairs called for concerted efforts to promote awareness of international legal texts and to facilitate the uniformity of the interpretation and application of such texts to promote international peace and achieve the goals of sustainable development. For his part, the Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs praised the outstanding position of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the application of the provisions of international law with integrity and transparency.