GCC nations are of special importance to US: Envoy

Manama : Bahrain and GCC nations are of special importance to the US, said American ambassador Justin Siberell.

President Donald Trump’s first official visit outside the United States to meet GCC leaders in Riyadh was not a coincidence and it shows the level of importance placed on the Gulf nations, he said. He was speaking during a luncheon organized by American Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain yesterday at Four Seasons Hotel yesterday.

“President Trump has placed particular emphasis on developing our commercial ties with the Gulf region.  Last May, he chose Riyadh and meetings with the leaders of the Gulf states as the focus of his first visit outside the United States.  That was an important and not-accidental demonstration of the centrality of this region to the vision of the Administration,” he said. 

“In their May 23rd meeting in Riyadh, the President and the leaders of the GCC states agreed to strengthen economic relations in a variety of fields, including in trade and investment, energy, industry, technology, agriculture, transportation and infrastructure development, in line with the development visions adopted by the Gulf states themselves,” he said.

“This commitment was on clear display this past November when His Royal Highness, Crown Prince visited the United States and celebrated over $10 billion in new commercial projects awarded to U.S. firms. These projects are to be found in Bahrain’s most vital and strategic economic sectors, including the BAPCO refinery modernization; the ALBA aluminium smelter expansion; Gulf Air’s acquisition of new commercial aircraft; and of course the purchase for the Royal Bahrain Air Force of advance F-16 fighter aircraft,  “ he added. 

“The United States enjoys an extremely strong and robust relationship with the government and people of this country. That relationship has been built over many decades through cooperation in developing Bahrain’s energy resources and its heavy industry; through the U.S. Naval presence and the tremendous hospitality shown to America’s sailors and marines across the decades who have resided here; through the selfless commitment of the founders, doctors and nurses of the American Mission; and through the thousands of Bahraini graduates of American colleges and Universities, to name just a few examples.” he said.

“And it is also built upon the commitment of our two nations’ political leadership, who have maintained the relationship through crises and triumphs in this vital, but periodically volatile region. America is open for business, as the President said to the Davos attendees.  The growth we are seeing in the American economy, and the very positive signs for inward investment and the repatriation of capital driven by changes to the corporate tax rate and the reduction of the regulatory burden upon companies operating in the United States, are going to create new opportunities and new alignments that will have positive impact globally, including in Bahrain, and we’ll want to exploit that,” he said.