Sheikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Kingdom, stressed that the free trade agreement between the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and the United Kingdom will contribute to advancing development and enhancing trade exchange in a way that benefits and good for everyone to achieve the visions of His Majesty and His Highness the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries for the Gulf States, may God protect them.
This came during the symposium organized by the Middle East Association on the importance of the agreement, with the participation of His Excellency and Lord Leicester, a member of the British Lords Council and a member of the Parliamentary Committee concerned with the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Mr. Jacques Morten-Bart, the head of communication and communication regarding the Free Trade Agreement in the British Ministry of Trade and Business, and was moderated by former Ambassador Nicholas Hobton, Director General of the Foundation.
During his speech, he praised the recent and successful official visit of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, may God protect him, to the British capital, London, which witnessed the signing of the second strategic partnership in the field of investment and cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Kingdom, to enhance economic growth and create more job opportunities in the two friendly countries, within the priority sectors, including the financial services sector, the technology sector, the industry sector, And support efforts to reduce the intensity of carbon emissions, by investing two billion pounds from the private sector from the Kingdom of Bahrain in the United Kingdom, after the success achieved by the strategic partnership in its first version signed in the year 2023 AD, which amounted to one billion pounds. The visit also witnessed the signing of the Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Kingdom, which aims to enhance the joint commitment to maintaining regional security and peace, and supporting the level of coordination and joint training between the two friendly countries, as well as strengthening the maritime partnership in the military and defensive field.
He added that the Kingdom of Bahrain provides a supportive environment for investment thanks to its professional cadres rich in its skills, flexible legislation, and strategic location in the heart of the Arab Gulf region, and its provision for the logistical region of Bahrain near the air, land and sea transport centers in the Kingdom, indicating that the signing of the free trade agreement will enhance the advantages provided by the Kingdom of Bahrain to the British investor.
He also noted that the negotiations on the free trade agreement between the countries of the Cooperation Council and the United Kingdom, which to date, included eight intense negotiating rounds between Riyadh and London, has reached advanced stages, stressing that the agreement will establish a new stage and a qualitative shift in economic relations between the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab Gulf states and the United Kingdom, and will focus on many vital areas such as technology, electronic field, life sciences, and industries Creative, education, artificial intelligence, financial services, and renewable energy.
For his part, Lord Leicester praised the distinguished Bahraini -British and Gulf relations, explaining that the free trade agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the United Kingdom will benefit all parties and increase the value of trade exchange and the size of mutual investments, especially because of the capabilities that the region has, with educated and ambitious cadres, and distinguished economic ingredients.
For his part, Mr. Jacques Morten-Bart stressed the importance of the Gulf market for the British economy, and that signing the agreement will achieve an important boost to enhance the British Gulf relations in the fields of trade, investment and technology, pointing to the great efforts of the negotiation teams in reaching consensus between the parties to the agreement.
