Manama: Mahmood Rafique, Editor: The Government Ministers and high-powered delegation from around the world have arrived in the Kingdom of Bahrain to participate in the 16th IISS Manama Dialogue which kicks off on Friday December 4th, 2020.
The IISS Manama Dialogue is the region’s premier security summit, organised and convened by the IISS in Manama annually since 2004. The summit brings together ministers, chiefs of defence and intelligence and the expert and opinion-forming communities who are either involved or interested in the Middle East’s most pressing security challenges. This year’s summit takes place from Friday 4 December to Sunday 6 December 2020.
The opening session kicked off with a virtual address by the US Secretary of State, Michael R. Pompeo. The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, will also deliver the keynote speech.
Ministers and senior government officials who gathered in Bahrain over the weekend to make policy statements also held multilateral and bilateral meetings include: the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, HH Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Kang Kyung-wha, Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fouad Hussain, Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi, Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, the State Secretary of the German Federal Office Miguel Berger, the UK Chief of the Defence Staff General Nick Carter, the Governor of the Saudi General Authority for Military Industries Ahmed Al Ohali, the GCC’s Secretary General Dr Nayef Al Hajraf and Afghanistan’s National Security Advisor Dr Hamdullah Mohib. The officials speaking virtually include Israel’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Canada’s Minister of Defence Harjit Sajjan and China’s Special Envoy for the Middle East Ambassador Zhai Jun.
“We are delighted to welcome so many ministers and senior officials to the IISS Manama Dialogue in what has been a challenging year. Their physical presence in Bahrain is testament to the continuing need for dialogue about the most important issues affecting the region. The IISS is grateful to the Kingdom of Bahrain for its long-standing and invaluable support to the summit whereby it facilitates free and frank discussion about security in the region. We look forward to a stimulating, challenging and productive summit,” Lt General (Retired) Executive Director of IISS–Middle East, said.
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Dialogue will be held in a hybrid format with a reduced number of delegates attending in person and our other delegates, from around the globe, joining through the IISS bespoke virtual platform.
“The safety of the delegates as well as the citizens of Bahrain is our top priority. We have been coordinating very closely with the Government of Bahrain to ensure that the Dialogue is as safe as it possibly can be,” Sir Tom Beckett, said.
