Bahrain backs EU-MidEast-India corridor project at UN assembly

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain voiced its strong backing yesterday for a proposal to link railway and port facilities across the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel, potentially speeding trade between India and Europe, terming the project as key to the region’s development and prosperity.

The statement came as Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, addressed the United Nations General Assembly in its Seventy-Eighth Session.

“We look forward to this ambitious strategic project contributing to the development and prosperity of the region for the benefit of all its people,” said Dr. Al Zayani, as he also proposed a five-point agenda to address common challenges facing nations worldwide, as well as the Middle East.

The India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor, launched on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi, had been welcomed by world nations, with US President Joe Biden calling it “a significant development” and “historic” at the launch event. Stressing the importance of addressing challenges related to water, the minister also welcomed Saudi Arabia’s announcement to establish a Global Water Organisation.

Moving on, Dr. Al Zayani drew the attention of world nations towards global challenges and crises that threaten the development of countries and impact the lives, security, stability, and safety of people.

End Ukraine war

In this regard, the minister highlighted the importance of dialogue, a peaceful and civilised approach to ending wars, and settling regional and international disputes.

Bahrain, he said, renews its call for renewed efforts to end the war in Ukraine through peaceful negotiations and avoid escalation.

The minister pointed out that this is essential for preserving security and peace in Europe, reducing its devastating humanitarian consequences, and addressing its global impacts on food security, energy supplies, the environment, and nuclear safety.

Independent state for Palestine

The five-point peace plan proposed by the minister also included a call for efforts to establish lasting peace in the Middle East, for which the minister emphasized the need to create an independent state with East Jerusalem as the capital for the Palestinian people, continuing the truce in Yemen, and resolving crises in Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Libya, and Afghanistan.

Other suggestions included the establishment of international relations based on the principles of good neighbourliness, respect for international law, sovereignty, stability, and territorial integrity of states.

Criminalise hate speech

The minister also stressed the importance of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s call to adopt an international convention to criminalise religious, sectarian, and racial hate speech.

Dr. Al Zayani also emphasised the importance of making the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction to ensure the safety of commercial and energy shipping, as well as mobilising efforts to support the least developed countries and open markets for their exports without restrictions to alleviate their debt burden.

Regarding Bahrain’s partnership with the United Nations for development, the Minister highlighted the success of parliamentary elections, the establishment of the Open Prisons Project that benefited more than 5,500 individuals, the implementation of the Government Plan for the sixth legislative term, economic recovery projects, housing initiatives, modernisation of trade and financial legislation, and digital transformation, among other projects.

The minister also commended the UAE’s success in the space sector and congratulated the successful return of UAE astronaut Sultan Al-Neyadi to Earth.