Bahrain-Japan relations to be enhanced

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (BNA): Bahrain’s ambassador to Japan, Ahmed Mohamed Aldoseri, has conveyed, on behalf of HM the King, HRH the Prime Minister, HRH the Crown Prince, and the government and people of Bahrain, sincere and best wishes of continued good health, prosperity and happiness to Their Majesties Emperor and Empress, the Imperial family, the government and the people of Japan. The wishes were conveyed on the auspicious occasion of the 47th National Day of the Kingdom of Bahrain and of the 46th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and Japan. “I also extend my heartfelt congratulations to the King of Bahrain His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the people of the Kingdom of Bahrain,” he said. Since their establishment in 1972, the diplomatic relations between the two countries have continued to prosper in various fields, especially the economic, trade and investment sectors, with bilateral trade exceeding $1.5 billion in 2018. ”Bahrain’s economy had a very strong year in 2017 with a gross domestic product (GDP) increase of 3.9 per cent and non-oil sectors growth of 5 per cent, making it the fastest growing economy in the GCC region. At the same time, foreign investment reached nearly $10 billion, of which 95 per cent is concentrated in the financial sector. Furthermore, major projects worth $32 billion have been established in industry, logistics, infrastructure, health care, education and tourism.” Another factor that could invigorate the Kingdom for many years to come and bolster its foreign investment is the 2018’s massive offshore discovery of an estimated 80 billion barrels of oil and 10-20 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, the ambassador added. “This discovery is likely to attract significant private international investment to Bahrain’s energy sector. In addition, the government is doing all it can to help this by setting up a private equity fund for energy of $1 billion,” he said. “With a cosmopolitan capital city, an attractive liberal lifestyle, and a rich history and culture, Bahrain provides a wide variety of tourist attractions. The booming tourism sector attracts more than 12 million visitors annually, and plays an increasingly important role in Bahrain’s economy, as it has doubled its contribution to almost 7 per cent of our GDP. The addition of over 100 new five and four-star hotels in the past five years is supported by Bahrain’s significant infrastructure project developments, providing further excellent opportunities in this growing key sector of the economy. I wish the best for the continuing progress in all fields for both countries, and further solidification of the special relationship tying both of our nations together. I am very confident that the strong ties between Bahrain and Japan will be further enhanced in the years to come.”