Bahrain diplomat praises human dimension in Kingdom’s actions to contain COVID-19

Washington, Apr. 25 (BNA): Bahrain’s Ambassador to the U.S., Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, has praised the important measures adopted by Bahrain in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. All the measures are in line with the respect for the principles of human rights and dignity as consolidated by the reform process of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The ambassador was speaking at a virtual discussion hosted by the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW) for 30 officials and experts interested in the region. Launched in 2015, AGSIW is an independent, nonprofit institution dedicated to providing expert research and analysis of the social, economic, and political dimensions of the Gulf Arab states and key neighboring countries and how they affect domestic and foreign policy. During the conversation with AGSIW President Douglas A. Silliman, a former U.S. ambassador who served in Iraq and Kuwait, Shaikh Abdullah highlighted Bahrain’s outstanding efforts and successful endeavors in fighting and mitigating COVID-19. He stressed the policies and measures taken by the government since the beginning within a robust framework of respect for human rights and commitment to transparency and openness. The pandemic has tested the ability of governments around the world to take action and confront it, and although each government had its own considerations and views for the most appropriate ways to deal with the virus, there are many common practices that have proven effective in the combat, mainly social distancing, the ambassador said. Shaikh Abdullah pointed out that Bahrain dealt with the spread of the pandemic in all transparency and seriousness and the recovery rate reached 50% of the cases to date. He explained how the government from the outbreak of the pandemic, formed a national task force led by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, in February before registering any COVID-19 case in the Kingdom. The precautionary testing policy carried out by the task force enabled Bahrain to accomplish an achievement that ranks it among the most advanced countries in testing their population for coronavirus. Bahrain tested 5% of its population, a figure that is one of the highest in the world, the diplomat said. Regarding the humanitarian initiatives taken by the Kingdom, the ambassador praised the humane decisions by HM the King to free hundreds of prisoners and to give directives to adopt a number of important economic measures, mainly the BD 4.3 billion economic stimulus package to support the country’s citizens and private sector. Shaikh Abdullah also praised the fund-raising initiative launched by the Representative of HM the King for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs, National Security Advisor and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to support national efforts to tackle the coronavirus. The initiative has been widely supported by Bahraini citizens, residents and companies whose generous financial contributions have so far raised over $55 million. Shaikh Abdullah stressed that Bahrain was keen to continue safeguarding the dignity and rights of expatriate workers and pointed out the royal directives to treat citizens and the expatriates equally and to ensure the treatment of expatriates who were infected with the novel coronavirus freely. He also highlighted the decisions by the Labor Market Regulatory Authority that included announcing a grace period until the end of the year for expatriates staying illegally in Bahrain who will not have to pay any fines whether they choose to regularize their situation or to return to their home countries.