This is a landmark year in achieving a milestone in bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Federal Republic of Germany. Diplomatic relations between our two countries have existed for 50 years, they were established on May 17, 1972, have developed well since then and have been further strengthened in recent years.

High-level visits have also contributed to this, as well as mutual exchanges and the promising potential for joint cooperation at all levels, for the benefit of our two friendly countries and their people, especially in the areas of trade and investment.

Relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Federal Republic of Germany were enhanced by the visit of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to Berlin in 2008, the visit of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, in 2011. Also the visit of the former Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2010 has further strengthened relations.

In March of this year, our Foreign Minister, His Excellency Dr. Abdullatif Al Zayani, took part in the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue and presented new ways of cooperation in the energy sector (green energy, renewable energies and hydrogen). Bahrain wants to be carbon neutral by 2060 and reduce CO2 emissions by 30 percent by 2035.

I am pleased that in this historic year we will continue to expand and deepen our cooperation in many areas, such as trade, healthcare, financial technology and financial institutions, tourism, vocational training and renewable energy (Green Energy and Hydrogen).

Cooperations in the field of logistics, aluminum production and downstream industries are also interesting, because Germany is an important location for the automotive industry. And Bahrain is the world’s largest aluminum producer (Alba) outside of China, with an annual production of more than 1.5 million tons. Cooperation in this sector would therefore be very successful for both countries.

The Kingdom of Bahrain is extremely attractive to businesses as it is a gateway to the over $1.67 trillion GCC market and has always been known for its business-friendly environment. In terms of foreign direct investment, Bahrain ranked among the top 20 economies in the world in 2021.

In addition to its geographical location, Bahrain offers extremely economical operating costs, which are up to 30 percent lower than those of neighboring countries. Bahrain also has skilled workers, progressive regulations and laws, an attractive social life, freedom of belief and not to forget the important Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Bahrain and the USA. This is intended to encourage small and medium-sized companies to trade. All these advantages make Bahrain an ideal place for investment.

Bahrain strives to promote the coexistence of all communities, regardless of their beliefs. So we founded the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence, which aims to promote dialogue and mutual understanding. Bahrain is a place of cultural pluralism and a country where religions, sects and cultures are tolerant and everyone can exercise their rights.

In this regard, we share many values ​​and principles with our friends in Germany, and we can work together to promote the concept of peaceful coexistence, tolerance, and global peace and prosperity.