Manama [Bahrain], June 13: His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain today received Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, at Al Safriya Palace in Manama during an official visit by an Emirati delegation that included senior officials, business leaders, and representatives of major Emirati companies.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Al Zeyoudi conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, to His Majesty the King, along with their wishes for continued prosperity for Bahrain and its people.
For his part, His Majesty the King extended his greetings to the UAE leadership and wished the government and people of the UAE further development and prosperity. He affirmed the deep-rooted fraternal ties between the two countries, their leaderships and peoples, and their shared commitment to advancing sustainable development and fostering progress and prosperity.
Dr. Al Zeyoudi expressed his sincere thanks to His Majesty the King for the warm hospitality and generous reception, which reflect the deeply rooted values of the Kingdom of Bahrain and His Majesty's unwavering support for strengthening cooperation between the two countries across various fields, particularly trade, investment and development.
The meeting reviewed the latest developments in the strategic partnership between the two countries in trade and investment, and discussed ways to enhance it in line with their shared development goals and aspirations for continued progress and prosperity.
The meeting was attended by Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Bahrain, and Mohamed Salem bin Kardous Al Ameri, UAE Ambassador to Bahrain.
On the sidelines of the visit, Dr. Al Zeyoudi also held two meetings with Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance, and Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, to explore avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation. The discussions coincided with the entry into force of the Agreement on the Protection and Promotion of Investment on 8th May.
Both sides expressed their hope that business communities and private sector entities in both countries would benefit from this and other agreements, by building stronger trade and investment partnerships that contribute to mutual economic growth.
The meetings addressed opportunities to build on the flourishing trade and investment ties between the two nations, which witnessed a record 23 percent growth in non-oil trade in 2024, reaching AED33.9 billion. The UAE also maintained its position as the third-largest global investor in Bahrain, accounting for 10 percent of total foreign direct investment in the Kingdom.
Source: Emirates News Agency