Bahrain’s progress linked to culture of openness, cooperation in accordance with King’s approach

BNA | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain has emerged as a model of religious tolerance, peaceful co-existence, the emancipation of women and human rights, thanks to the vision of His Majesty the King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) President Duarte Pacheco said that he understood quite well the practical aspects of the vision of His Majesty the King on tolerance, cooperation, peace, interfaith dialogue and freedom of religion.

“It’s a great honour for me to visit Bahrain for the first time and it is a unique experience when we see, meet, and greet people, not just leaders, but also common folks,” he said.

“We get to know more of the people when we walk on the streets, go to a restaurant and we may see from the faces of the people if they are free or not,” he told Bahrain News Agency (BNA) during his maiden visit to the Kingdom.

Pacheco held meetings with HM the King, HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Speaker Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal and Shura Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh.

“It is my first meeting with HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and I am honoured to have met him,” he said.

“He has a strong personality and he is very aware of what is necessary to the country and its people. And it’s not just theoretical, but also concrete actions involving everyone to build a better country. Bahrain has people from other countries. If everyone can work here to contribute to the development of the country, that is a welcome sign. 

This also reflects a perspective of a real leader who knows what is important for the country and its people.”

The IPU President, a Portuguese Member of Parliament since 1991, applauded Bahrain’s inclusive approach to women empowerment and said it was great to witness that His Majesty the King has this kind of vision because it is essential to have women representation in the political landscape of the country.

“If we wish to have a free society and a representative parliament, it's impossible to ignore fifty per cent of the population and leave them without representation. 

It's essential to encourage women to participate and to be elected to the parliament,” he said.

“For Bahrain, to have a woman, Speaker of parliament is particularly important and it is a strong message to the world.”

Referring to general reports on the progress, economic and social development, human rights of any country, he said that the authenticity of such reports has to be validated during a visit to the country itself, “and I am very much impressed with what I have seen in the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

“It is easy to find out facts here with concrete actions. And so, I am incredibly happy with my visit to Bahrain.”

“We have strong cooperation between the Bahrain parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. When the Bahraini delegates and the Speaker come to one of the IPU meetings, they are not just attending. They participate actively in the formulation of proposals, interventions, showing agreements and disagreements sometimes because we always say it is impossible to have similar views about all the issues of the world,” he said.

It is easy to see that Bahrain’s Speakers and delegates when they attend meetings are highly active, he added.

“Bahrain has the leadership of the geopolitical Arab group and this group is particularly important. 

And we know that sometimes it is not easy in different perspectives of the problems for the leadership to try to establish a dialogue between people who think differently about various issues,” said Pacheco.

“In many ways, Bahrain can organize events among assemblies of this group; we have an opportunity to organize the upcoming general assembly of IPU, here in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2023.”

IPU is the oldest multilateral organization in the world and was established more than 130 years ago, in 1889, he said.

Pacheco said that the IPU holds two general assemblies annually, one during the spring, the other one in autumn.

In each general assembly, more than 100 speakers of parliament and an average of 2,000 parliamentarians from 150 countries participate, he added.

“We thought to organize one of these assemblies here in Bahrain. Her excellency the Speaker of the Council Fawzia Zainal proposed that of course, and we need to approve it at the Governing Council. 

But she has committed to making all the efforts to approve the decision to bring one of the general assemblies to Bahrain in 2023. 

It will be a huge moment for Bahrain, to show to the world all the progress it has achieved in different sectors, such as economic, social, political, and human rights, and all the reforms that His Majesty is proposing in the country,” said Pacheco.

Between Bahrain and the IPU there are different areas of cooperation that can always possibly be enforced, said Pacheco who was elected to the IPU Presidency in a historic virtual vote in November, winning 56 per cent of the votes in the first round.

“For instance, Bahrain has experience in promoting dialogue and cooperation among countries. It also has experience in tolerating inter-faith dialogue and freedom. Why not share this kind of experience with other countries?”

“We may organize events in other continents where the Kingdom of Bahrain can share the history of the country, its experience and achievements. 

I believe that because of freedom of expression and its achievements, the Kingdom of Bahrain has such good economic and social outcomes.

It is because of this approach and freedom that the people of different countries, religions and backgrounds enjoy Bahrain, and become more apt to work, to produce, to do tourism and travel, he said.

“All the progress that Bahrain has achieved is a consequence of its culture of tolerance and cooperation. Bahrain is a learning experience for other countries.”

The IPU President, who has been serving as a parliamentarian for the past 30 years, has termed his political career ‘as a mission.’

“Allow me to say first, no one will be a member of parliament or a journalist or a doctor or something for 30 years if we don't like what we are doing. 

If we do not like it, of course, we try to change but in politics, we feel that we try to contribute to resolving people’s problems.”

Reflecting on the role of young parliamentarians, he said they have a very crucial role to play in society, including changing the mindset and helping to weed out extreme thinking among youngsters.