His Royal Highness
Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today chaired the weekly Cabinet Meeting at Gudaibiya Palace.

The Cabinet congratulated His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for the success of Bahrain's sixth parliamentary and municipal elections, in which more than 73% of eligible voters participated.

The Cabinet thanked Bahraini citizens for participating in another successful election which is a testament to the Kingdom's robust democracy and comprehensive development, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

The Cabinet commended the efforts of the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, the Election General Supervision Supreme Committee, the supporting sub-committees, concerned parties, the polling and counting centres, and volunteer teams for the successful organisation of the 2022 parliamentary and municipal elections.

The Cabinet highlighted the importance of His Majesty the King's meeting with the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Council noted that the meeting will further bolster bilateral relations and coordination between the two countries.

The Cabinet also noted the importance of the joint Bahraini-UAE anti-terror exercise "Jalmud 3", the conclusion of which was attended by His Majesty the King, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and the President of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The Cabinet noted the efforts of the National Security Advisor, Royal Guard Commander, Major General HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, in managing the exercise.

The Cabinet also congratulated His Majesty the King on the success of the Bahrain International Airshow 2022, held under the patronage of HM the King, who appointed His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to launch the event. The Cabinet also noted that the exhibition was well attended by a broad range of major international aviation companies.

The Cabinet commended the efforts made by the Supreme Organising Committee of the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) chaired by the Personal Representative of His Majesty the King, His Highness Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and all the parties that contributed to the success of organising the exhibition.

The Cabinet emphasised the importance of the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27) held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, which His Majesty the King delegated His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister to attend on his behalf.

The Cabinet noted the outcomes of the second edition of the Middle East Green Initiative, held in conjunction with COP27, and co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, HE Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

The Cabinet extended its hopes for continued and globally coordinated efforts in addressing climate change and achieving environmental security, until its next inception of COP28, which will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates, in light of a report reviewed on this matter.

The Cabinet then condemned the terrorist attack that took place on Istiklal Street in the Taksim district of Istanbul in the Republic of Turkey. The Cabinet expressed their sincere condolences and sympathy to the victims' families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

To mark International Day of Peace, the Cabinet affirmed the Kingdom of Bahrain's commitment to consolidating the values of tolerance and mutual coexistence to support efforts that promote global peace and stability.

The Cabinet discussed several memorandums during the meeting with the following outcomes:

The approval of the following memorandum:

1. A memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal & Legislative Affairs regarding an agreement between the Governments of Bahrain and the Hellenic Republic on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special, and service passports, as well as an MoU between the Mohammed Min Mubarak Al Khalifa Academy for Diplomatic Studies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bahrain and the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Greece regarding cooperation in diplomatic training.

2. A memorandum by the Minister of Industry and Commerce regarding the launch of the "Takamul" programme, which aims to encourage national companies to enhance their contribution to the national economy. Companies that meet the specified criteria and percentages will be awarded a certificate whereby they will receive priority in government procurement by 10%.

3. A memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal & Legislative Affairs regarding the government's response to a draft law submitted by the Council of Representatives.

The Cabinet then reviewed a memorandum by the Minister of Housing and Urban Planning on the new housing financing programmes. Between its launch in August 2022 and this November, the programme received 1,914 requests, witnessing an increase in demand of the new housing finance programmes compared to the regular housing services provided.

The Cabinet took note of the ministerial reports regarding the outcomes of the 39th GCC Interior Ministers’ meeting, the 31st Ordinary Session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the Summit Level, and Bahrain’s human rights report by the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, the visit of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s economic delegation headed by the Minister of Industry and Commerce to the State of Israel, the visit of the Minister of Industry and Commerce to the United Kingdom, the visit of the Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs to the State of Israel and Bahrain's participation in the MiSK Global Forum.