Washington Diplomat hosts Ambassador of Kingdom of Bahrain in Washington as Part of its Ambassador Insider Series

The Washington Diplomat hosted the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States of America, Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khalifa, as part of its Ambassador Insider series, which was attended by many influencers, people who are interested in American political decision-making and members of the diplomatic corps in Washington, DC.

During the interview, the Ambassador affirmed that the reform approach of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is dedicated to achieving a just and diverse society in a way that guarantees the protection of its members, and the full enjoyment of all civil, political, economic and social freedoms as stipulated in the constitution, which turned the Kingdom to a global model in respecting religious freedoms, empowering women, and achieving comprehensive development for the benefit of the people of the Kingdom of Bahrain and its expatriates.

In this regard, Shaikh Abdullah explained that it is not possible to achieve a just and diverse society without the commitment to full and equal participation of women in it. Therefore, the Kingdom of Bahrain has spared no effort in promoting the participation of women in all aspects of public life, as the Supreme Council for Women adopted many plans and initiatives to empower women and ensure equal opportunities, such as the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women (2013 - 2022). He added that such initiatives have given Bahraini women their largest representation in the public sector, which has reached 54%, and in the highest ministerial, parliamentary, judicial and diplomatic positions. It also played part in achieving the leading role that the Kingdom of Bahrain plays at the regional and international levels as a model for the advancement of women.

He also noted that Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women's Empowerment, in partnership with the United Nations, embodies this role and comes to recognize the Kingdom's commitment to activating women's potential at the national and international levels, in line with the vision and directives of wife of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council For women, Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, adding that the Kingdom of Bahrain, with a view to encouraging greater involvement of the civil society in issues of the advancement of women in the region, welcomed the establishment of the Office of the UN Women Representative in Manama, as a platform to exchange experiences and best practices with the international community.

In a related context, the Ambassador asserted that the Kingdom of Bahrain has known diversity and religious coexistence throughout its ancient history, where mosques, churches and temples of different religions met in it. This was preserved by the reform approach of His Majesty the King, which made the Kingdom become a model for peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance at the regional and international levels, and is embodied in the Bahrain Declaration on Religious Tolerance and the establishment of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence as an international platform for dialogue and tolerance.

Regarding regional security, the Ambassador stressed the importance of the strategic partnership that links the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States of America, especially in the defense and security areas, and the primary role it plays in maintaining security and stability at the regional and international levels. He added that the economic sanctions imposed by the maximum pressure campaign of the current American administration contributed to reducing the impact of the hostile activities of the Iranian regime in the region, explaining that it is regrettable that this regime continues in its attempts to destabilize security and stability by supporting terrorist groups and threatening the safety of international navigation , in addition to other attempts, and that such hostile and unconstructive behavior must be stopped. At the same time, Shaikh Abdullah stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain is not seeking any military escalation in the region, stressing the need to reach political solutions to crises in the region.