Manama, June 6 (BNA): Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa affirmed the keenness of the Kingdom of Bahrain under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the follow-up of His Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Crown Prince and Prime Minister to continue to strengthen cooperation with Türkiye.
With Turkey entering a new historical phase, Bahrain is looking forward to enhancing trade and tourism exchange between the two countries, encouraging the private sector to explore available investment opportunities, and strengthening partnership in the infrastructure sector, the Deputy Prime Minister said in an interview with Anadolu News Agency during his visit to Ankara.
His Majesty the King had assigned Sheikh Khaled to attend the inauguration ceremony of the re-elected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a new term, last Saturday in Ankara.
Below is the text of the interview:
How do you assess the current state of relations between the Republic of Türkiye and the Kingdom of Bahrain?
Diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Republic of Turkey go back about 50 years, since 1973. This strong and strong relationship is based on the values of mutual respect and understanding. More than 17 official visits were made between the two sides, and many agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed between the two countries in various fields. To date, 38 agreements and memorandums of understanding have been signed in various fields including youth, education, military and industry.
His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa paid two official visits to the Republic, the last of which was in 2016, during which His Majesty the King affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening Bahraini-Turkish relations for the benefit of the two countries and their peoples. His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, also paid an official visit to the Republic of Turkey in 2016, stressing the importance of expanding relations between the two countries.
A Turkish delegation led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain a year later, in 2017, during which a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed.
The two countries enjoy a thriving economic relationship with bilateral trade reaching nearly $883 million between the two sides in 2022 – up 66% from the same period the previous year.
The Kingdom highly values its relations with Turkey and we continue to welcome Turkey’s positive role and participation at the regional and international levels, to become a role model in development.
With the authority of His Majesty, I have the honor to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Erdogan. The Kingdom is confident that the two countries will continue to strengthen these bilateral relations and push them towards broader horizons of cooperation and partnership.
What are your expectations and aspirations for the bilateral relations between the two countries in the new phase after Turkey’s elections?
The Kingdom of Bahrain remains committed to strengthening its bilateral relations with the Republic of Turkey in all fields.
With Turkey entering a new historical phase after the announcement of the election results, through which the Turkish people renewed their confidence in President Erdogan for a new presidential term, the Kingdom of Bahrain affirms its keenness to continue developing its distinguished relations with Turkey within the framework of joint cooperation, including working to raise levels of trade exchange between the two countries. the two countries. As well as encouraging business sectors in both countries to explore new investment horizons. In this regard, we commend the efforts of the Turkish-Bahraini Business Council in further developing these relations.
On top of business opportunities, the tourism sector is another essential area that needs to be explored further. The Kingdom of Bahrain considers this sector a major contributor to non-oil GDP growth, and has launched a tourism strategy for the years 2022-2026 as part of its post-pandemic economic recovery plan. Likewise, the Republic of Turkey places great values in this sector, as the country has become an ideal destination for both leisure and medical tourism. Thousands of Bahrainis and other nationalities from the region visit Türkiye every year.
As Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects, I am also looking forward to focusing on cooperation in the infrastructure sector, as well as the exchange of knowledge and experience in this field. Thus, I would like to express my admiration for the urbanization and advanced level of infrastructure that Turkey is currently experiencing.
HF