As part of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister’s official visit to Italy; Bahrain, Italy sign MoU to enhance space cooperation

Sydney, Oct. 2 (BNA): As part of the official visit of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the Italian Republic, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Bahrain Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The agreement aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in peaceful space exploration, capacity building, and the implementation of joint projects, reflecting the strength of the strategic relations between the two countries.

Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Aseeri, Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Space Agency, underscored that the MoU builds on nearly eight years of close cooperation between the two agencies, describing it as an important step toward enhancing Bahrain’s presence in the global space industry. He underscored the role of space diplomacy in fostering international cooperation, building bridges of understanding between countries, opening new horizons for economic and technological opportunities, and facilitating the transfer and localisation of advanced knowledge and technologies, to the benefit of both countries’ economies.

The signing of this MoU culminates the ongoing cooperation since 2018, which has yielded significant outcomes, such as Bahrain’s successful hosting of the sixth edition of the International Space Forum at the Ministerial Level (Gulf Chapter) in July 2024, under the theme "Space as a Game-Changer in Diplomacy and Economic Development in the Region". This landmark event, the first of its kind in the Gulf region, represented a major milestone in Bahrain’s regional and international space cooperation and a tangible outcome of its partnership with the Italian Space Agency.