UK celebrates 200 years of ties with Bahrain at BIAS

The United Kingdom is sending a high-level delegation to the Bahrain Air Show to help celebrate the 200th anniversary of the UK-Bahraini bilateral relationship, a relationship the UK very much values.

Typhoon aircraft from the Royal Air Force will take to the skies at the Bahrain Air Show to thrill the crowds reflecting the importance of this relationship between the United Kingdom and Bahrain.

The UK Government also has significant representation led by Philip Dunne, Minister for Defence Procurement in the UK Ministry of Defence, accompanied by Lieutenant General Tom Bennett, Defence Senior Adviser Middle East in the UK Ministry of Defence, Air Marshal Gary Waterfall, Air Officer 1 Group RAF, Air Vice Marshal Nigel Maddox the Military Deputy and Sophie Lane the Regional Director for the Gulf in UKTI’s Defence and Security Organisation.

“I am delighted to be here in Bahrain, which is a key UK ally in the Gulf region,” Dunne said.

“Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the UK / Bahraini bi-lateral relationship, our close ties with the nation continue to grow, reflected in the agreement last year to begin work on facilities for the Royal Navy at Mina Salman port. It is vital that we work with allies like Bahrain to tackle regional threats such as those posed by Daesh. I am very pleased that RAF Typhoon aircraft, currently deployed over Iraq and Syria, will take part in the display, showcasing their world leading capabilities, and that UK companies will be returning to identify new opportunities for closer industrial cooperation.”

Sophie Lane, Regional Director UKTI DSO said: “I am delighted that the UK has such a strong delegation at this important Air Show, which we have supported since its inception in 2010. We will continue to encourage UK companies to network and to identify suitable business opportunities and prospects for joint industrial and technological cooperation across the region, and with Bahrain, in particular, as we enter the third century of our deep and enduring relationship”.