ABDULLATIF BIN RASHID AL ZAYANI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, emphasized the importance of dialogue to ending wars and settling regional and international differences. Foremost in this is advancing a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, which includes supporting the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent State with East Jerusalem as its capital; extending the UN humanitarian truce in Yemen; and achieving sustainable, peaceful solutions to the crises in Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Libya and Afghanistan.  He also urged the promotion of tolerance and dialogue between religions, cultures and civilizations as “essential pillars” to achieve security, development and respect for human rights.  To this end, he called on the international community to adopt an international convention to criminalize religious, sectarian and racial hate speech, along with preventing the misuse of freedoms, media and digital platforms “for religious contempt or to incite extremism, terrorism and intolerance”.

He also called on the international community to channel financial resources towards achieving growth and prosperity, eliminating hunger and poverty, addressing water and energy crises, and supporting least developed countries through open markets and alleviated debt burden.  In this vein, he supported the economic-corridor project aiming to link India with Europe through the Middle East.  Turning to national progress, he spotlighted achievements such as successful parliamentary elections; the establishment of justice frameworks; respect for human rights, along with political and civil liberties; and the provision of quality, competitive Government services integrated with sustainable development.  He also pointed to Bahrain’s success in combating COVID-19, recalling that the World Health Organization (WHO) labelled Manama as “the first healthy city in the Middle East”.  Over the past year, Bahrain’s achievements translated into 5 per cent net economic growth, along with an 83 per cent increase in non-oil sectors’ contribution to GDP.

Among other successes, he spotlighted women’s advancement, with Bahraini women representing 22 per cent of the cabinet, 23 per cent of the legislature, 56 per cent of the Government workforce, 35 per cent of the private sector and 34 per cent of diplomatic personnel.  He went on to stress that “peace is our strategic choice”, pointing to the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence and Bahrain’s hosting of regional and international conferences to promote security and dialogue among religions, sects and cultures.  He also detailed the international awards offered by his country for dialogue, peaceful coexistence, the service of humanity, digital transformation in the field of education and the empowerment of women and youth.  Further, he said that Bahrain delivers humanitarian relief to countries affected by war, conflict or natural disaster through the efforts of its Royal Humanitarian Foundation and the Bahrain Red Crescent Society.