By H. E. Fawaz Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Last month, I was delighted and honoured to present to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander my credentials as the new Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Netherlands, and to formally take up my role in developing the ties between our two countries. During my visit to The Hague, I was touched by the generosity of the welcome I received and by the enduring warmth and hospitality of the Dutch people.
During my friendly discussions with His Majesty and government officials, I was struck by just how much our two countries have in common, and how we can build on these shared values and circumstances to develop and expand our bilateral friendship.
To give just a few examples: both Bahrain and the Netherlands are steeped in history and culture and yet we share an outlook that is profoundly modern. We have dynamic, forward-looking economies that not only create skilled, high-technology jobs, but also serve as gateways to our regions and attractive destinations for foreign investment. Furthermore, both our countries play an active and constructive role on the world stage, strongly advocating the universal principles on which our security depends.
These common foundations have given rise to a long history of friendly cooperation between all levels of our societies. Today, we are proud to have some 350 Dutch expatriates in Bahrain, with Dutch companies playing leading roles in fields as diverse as logistics, engineering, and professional services.
As for the future, I am in no doubt that the Kingdoms of Bahrain and the Netherlands will develop an ever-stronger partnership, one which harnesses our unique strengths and resources to bring genuine benefits to both sides. For example, I am convinced that there is enormous potential to expand our trade and investment cooperation in areas such as petrochemicals, banking and finance – with a particular focus on Bahrain’s expertise as a hub for Islamic finance.
But I want our relationship to go way beyond just commercial transactions. I believe there is so much we can do to deepen the understanding between our peoples, and to strengthen a genuine sense of friendship and mutual respect. Through cultural, artistic, sporting and social contacts and exchanges, we can learn more of each other’s rich and unique history, and forge the close and enduring personal ties that are the bedrock of effective and durable relationships.
During my time as Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain, I will work tirelessly to bring about this vision, in the confidence that strengthening our deep-rooted friendship with the Netherlands can be beneficial to both countries and their peoples. As a first step, I would hope that many of Diplomat magazine’s readers will have the opportunity to visit Bahrain, and to witness first-hand the tremendous potential that undoubtedly exists. We would be delighted to welcome you.
Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain: http://www.bahrainembassy.co.uk/
Photography by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
