It is my pleasure to congratulate the President of the General Assembly at its current session. I wish him every success in conducting its work. I also want to express my thanks and appreciation to his predecessor. His Excellency Mr. Csaba Korosi. for his remarkable efforts in leading the previous session, and His Excellency Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his continuous efforts to achieve the noble purposes and objectives of the United Nations.
At the outset. I wish to express the condolences of the King, the Government and the people of the Kingdom of Bahrain to our brothers in the Kingdom of Morocco and the State of Libya over the victims of the earthquake that struck several regions in Morocco and the floods that swept through the Libyan city of Derna. We ask God Almighty to grant the deceased His mercy and wish a speedy recovery for the injured.
The general debate of the current session is being held amid global challenges and crises that threaten the development of countries and affect the lives, security.
stability and safety of peoples. Foremost among them are the escalation of wars and armed conflicts; the dangers of extremism, terrorism and organized crime; cybersecurity threats, food and water security, climate change and natural and health disasters.
Under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the guidance of the Government, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Kingdom of Bahrain has demonstrated in all its diplomatic stances and practical efforts its adherence to its deep-rooted human and cultural values. Those values are in line with the objectives of the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law. as well as Bahrain’s commitment to establishing international cooperation and promoting strategic partnerships with friendly and allied countries in order to maintain peace, security and stability and to provide a safe, prosperous and sustainable environment for the benefit of the peoples of the world.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has taken confident steps at key historical milestones to strengthen alliances. Those alliances have helped consolidate the international system based on the freedom of trade, ideas and individuals in a way that supports individual freedoms and responsibilities. My country has continued to strengthen its diplomatic relations with brotherly, friendly and allied countries with common interests. Under the leadership of His Majesty the King, it has been keen to deepen bilateral relations at all levels, and has played an important role in the efforts to promote international cooperation. A few days ago. in Washington. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister signed the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement with our friend the United States of America. That attests to the Kingdom of Bahrain’s firm strategic approach, which supports peace and stability in the region and is based on the close link between security and prosperity to achieve the desired progress in every aspect of development, in a world where the number of challenges is increasing daily.
The Kingdom of Bahrain understands that international cooperation based on mutual trust, good faith and mutual understanding is the best way to overcome shared challenges and has therefore included the following among its top priorities.
The first such priority is prioritizing dialogue and a peaceful and civilized approach for ending wars and settling all regional and international differences and disputes, foremost of which is advancing a just, comprehensive and lasting peace process in the Middle East and supporting the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish their independent State, with East Jerusalem as its capital; the strengthening of peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the region, while expressing our support for the extension of the United Nations humanitarian truce in Yemen; achieving sustainable peaceful solutions to the crises in Syria. Lebanon, the Sudan. Libya and Afghanistan, while preserving their unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, supporting their development and alleviating the suffering of their peoples; and supporting international mediation efforts to achieving peace throughout the world. In that context, we reiterate our call for further efforts to end the war in Ukraine through peaceful negotiations and to avoid escalation in order to meet the interests of the two neighbouring countries and ensure the protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law in order to preserve security and peace on the European continent, while attenuating its devastating humanitarian repercussions and addressing its global impact on food security, energy supplies, the environment and nuclear safety.
The second priority is establishing international relations based on the principles of good neighbourliness; respect for international law. the sovereignty, stability and territorial integrity of States and their religious and cultural values; and non-interference in their internal affairs. In that regard, we underscore the firm and supportive position of the Kingdom of Bahrain in support of the unity, cohesion, solidarity and unified path of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and our appreciation of positive regional developments, such as Syria’s return to the League of Arab States and the resumption of Saudi-Iranian diplomatic relations.
The third priority is promoting the values of tolerance and a culture of peace and dialogue among religions, cultures and civilizations, as essential pillars for achieving security, development and respect for human rights. In that regard, we call on the international community to respond effectively to the call of His Majesty the King to adopt an international convention to criminalize religious, sectarian and racial hate speech and prevent the abuse of freedoms on media and
digital platforms to propagate religious hatred and to incite extremism, terrorism and intolerance.
The fourth priority is galvanizing international efforts to overcome shared security challenges through cooperation and coordination in the fight against terrorism, while cutting off its financial sources and countering its ideologies; intensifying efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ensuring the establishment of the Middle East as a region free of such weapons; cooperating in ensuring the security of commercial shipping and energy supplies in the Gulf region; and combating cybercrime.
The fifth priority is deepening international partnerships and strategic dialogue towards building a more stable and just global political, security and economic order, based on solidarity, to achieve peoples’ aspirations to consolidate international peace and security and implement the Sustainable Development Goals. We call on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities by ramping up its efforts and channelling investments and financial resources towards achieving growth and prosperity, eliminating hunger, poverty and water and energy crises and supporting the least-developed countries. We must open markets for their exports without restrictions and alleviate their debt burden so as to ensure prosperity for all peoples, with no one left behind. In that regard, the Kingdom of Bahrain welcomes and endorses the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor. We look forward to that ambitious strategic project’s contribution to the development and prosperity of the region for the benefit of all its peoples. My country also welcomes the announcement by the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of its intent to establish a global water organization, aimed at developing and integrating the efforts of States and organizations to address water challenges in a holistic manner.
My country’s Government is keen to promote an effective partnership with the United Nations and its specialized bodies in support of our common development goals. That has been done through the submission and discussion of the fourth national report under the Universal Periodic Review mechanism for human rights and the second report on progress made in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. Through its own example, the Kingdom of Bahrain has provided a model for political development and the consolidation of the rule of law and institutions within the framework of the separation of powers and their cooperation under its Constitution. The Kingdom is proud of its Council of Representatives exercising its legislative and oversight powers and expressing the will of citizens following the success of parliamentary elections in six successive sessions, the most recent of which took place last year, with more than 73 per cent voter participation. We are also proud of having ensured justice within the framework of an impartial and independent judiciary, supported by independent human rights institutions, such as the National Human Rights Institution and Office of the Ombudsman, the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission and the Special Investigation Unit of the Public Prosecutor, as well as promoting the freedom of the press and media and the role of trade unions and civil society through 660 civil and political associations.
The Kingdom of Bahrain is proud of the establishment of its pioneering modern legislative system, which has promoted respect for human rights and championed political and civil liberties, particularly through the enactment and implementation of the Alternative Sanctions and Measures Law. the open prisons programme and the substitution of non-custodial penalties for prison sentences. Those measures have benefited more than 5.500 convicted persons since their implementation in May 2018. keeping pace with the latest criminal justice systems in reforming and enabling convicts to be reintegrated into society. In addition, we have adopted the Law on Restorative Justice for Children and their Protection from Maltreatment, for which the Judicial Committee for Childhood, courts and the office of the Specialized Prosecutor for the Child were established. Within the framework of coordination between the legislative and executive authorities, my country is working to implement the government programme for the sixth legislative term. Its top priorities are promoting security, stability and justice; supporting the economic recovery plan; providing quality and competitive government services and integrating them with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Thanks to the wisdom of its leadership, the awareness of its people and its commitment to the spirit of Team Bahrain in turning challenges into sustainable achievements, the Kingdom has set a humane and civilized example in combating the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and overcoming its impacts. That was achieved through providing comprehensive
health and treatment services and free examinations for all citizens and residents, which has been acknowledged by the World Health Organization, which cited Manama as the first healthy city in the Middle East. It was also achieved through the implementation of five financial and economic packages through 40 initiatives supporting individuals, the private sector and the most- affected sectors, amounting to $12 billion, the equivalent of one-third of the Kingdom’s gross domestic product.
My country’s Government continues the implementation of the economic recovery plan and its programmes to accelerate the provision of employment opportunities for citizens; the construction of five new housing cities; the modernization of trade and financial legislation and procedures; economic openness and diversity; and the implementation of health, education, tourism and technical development strategies and projects. Over the past year, we have achieved a net economic growth rate of nearly 5 per cent; an increase to 83 per cent in the contribution of the non-oil sector to our gross domestic product; and a rise in foreign direct investment to $35.5 billion, according to a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has also promoted its prestigious international standing according to international indicators, moving up to second place in the Arab world and thirty-fifth place internationally on the list of countries with very high human development, according to a report by the United Nations Development Programme. It ranks first in the Arab world and twenty- first internationally in the 2022 World Happiness Report, issued by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. It also ranked thirty-fourth globally in the Logistics Performance Index of the World Bank and first in the Middle East and North Africa region in the Economic Freedom of the world index issued by the Eraser Institute. My country also shares its entrepreneurial experience with 48 countries, in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has made great strides in the area of digital transformation by assuming the presidency of the Digital Cooperation Organization and becoming a member of the Council of the International Telecommunication Union. It has been classified among the leading countries in digital government, ranking first globally in Internet distribution, according to the World Bank. It also has a high e-government development rate according to the United Nations. That is evidenced by our provision of more than 600 Government services through online platforms and 100 per cent coverage of fifth-generation networks. That is evidenced also through our adoption of a national strategy to support the transformation of the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy, and our investment in future sciences by establishing the National Space Science Agency and launching the first completely Bahraini- built satellite.
In that regard, we are pleased to congratulate the sisterly United Arab Emirates on its outstanding progress in the space domain. We congratulate it on the successful return of Emirati astronaut Sultan Al-Neyadi to Earth, who achieved a significant scientific milestone as the first Arab to complete a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has maintained its first- place ranking among Arab countries on the Basel Anti-Money-Laundering Index, including with regard to terrorist financing, complementing its active role in establishing and hosting the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force. It has also retained its prestigious tier 1 status for the sixth consecutive year in the United States Department of State report on trafficking in persons. In addition, my country has garnered international acclaim for its human rights record, its cybersecurity readiness and its role in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and in tackling various economic and cyber-related crimes.
The Kingdom of Bahrain is proud of the advancement of women and their contributions as active partners in the process of comprehensive development achievements, whether as ministers, parliamentarians, judges or ambassadors. Bahraini women represent 22 per cent of the Cabinet; 23 per cent of the members of the legislative authority; 56 per cent of the national workforce in the e-government sector; 35 per cent of the private sector; and 34 per cent of diplomatic personnel. That is among other positive indicators that reflect the efforts of the Supreme Council for Women and its initiatives in the context of the national plan for the advancement of Bahraini women, along with other national plans, strategies and legislation to protect the rights of women, the family and children; to provide care, rehabilitation and employment for persons with disabilities; to ensure the rights of elderly people; and to protect against domestic violence and promote the social protection system.
Proceeding from our belief in the right of people to a healthy, clean and sustainable environment, the Kingdom of Bahrain reaffirms its support for international initiatives in the field of climate change. We are committed to achieving net-zero carbon neutrality by 2060; reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2035; doubling the number of trees and. in particular, quadrupling the number of mangroves, by 2035; improving energy efficiency and promoting renewable sources of energy; and protecting biodiversity. We would like to wish the United Arab Emirates every success in organizing and presiding over the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at the end of the year.
Peace is our strategic choice for a safer, more stable and more prosperous world. We firmly believe that peace is the path to constructive cooperation and peaceful coexistence among nations and peoples. We recognize that, given the inevitability of living together, dialogue and harmony must prevail over disputes and conflict, based on our belief in the right of all human beings to freedom, justice, prosperity and human dignity without any discrimination pertaining to race, origin, language, religion or belief.
In that regard, the Kingdom of Bahrain, in the light of the noble initiatives of His Majesty the King, is proud of its success in sharing its pioneering experience with the world in terms of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, respect for human rights and in encouraging the values of solidarity and international humanitarian and development work at various levels.
First. I would mention the issuance of the Kingdom of Bahrain declaration on freedom of religion and belief, the establishment of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence and the continued wise initiatives of His Majesty the King to promote tolerance, dialogue and religious and cultural rapprochement.
Secondly, the Kingdom has hosted regional and international conferences to promote regional security and dialogue among religions, sects and cultures, the most recent of which was the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue, held under the theme “East and West for Human Coexistence”, with the participation of His Holiness the Pope and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. We have also hosted the General Assembly meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies, with a focus on combating intolerance. That reflects the firm and deep- rooted principles of the Kingdom of Bahrain with regard to respect for cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, as well as its historical and cultural heritage spanning more than 5.000 years.
Thirdly, the Kingdom continues to actively contribute to supporting the objectives of the United Nations by offering international awards for the promotion of dialogue and peaceful coexistence, for the service of humankind, for digital transformation in the field of education and for the empowerment of women and youth in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. My country also established an initiative on the International Days of Conscience and of Islamic Art. Moreover, we have delivered humanitarian and relief assistance to many countries affected by the repercussions of wars, conflicts and natural disasters through the efforts of the Royal Humanitarian Foundation and the Bahrain Red Crescent Society.
Under the reformist, humanitarian and diplomatic approach of His Majesty the King, with the support and follow-up of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister and the commitment of its loyal and dedicated people, the Kingdom of Bahrain continues to maximize its developmental and civilizational gains, to reinforce its noble values and cultural achievements and to enhance its active role in strengthening international solidarity. Our aim is a stable and secure world free from tension and hatred that advances with affection, tolerance, brotherhood and cooperation for the benefit of humankind. We hope to build a bright future for generations to come.