Manama: His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, presided over the weekly Cabinet meeting at Gudaibiya Palace. The session focused on significant diplomatic and domestic developments.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the Cabinet emphasized the importance of a statement delivered on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at a special session of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit. This summit was convened to address the Israeli attack on the State of Qatar. His Highness Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa represented His Majesty, stressing the need for unity among Arab and Islamic nations to ensure peace and future security. The Cabinet reviewed a related report from the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf.
The Cabinet also discussed the outcomes of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister's recent visit to Japan, which included meetings with Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The visit led to an upgrade in Bahrain-Japan relations from a comprehensive to a strategic partnership, highlighted by new memoranda of understanding. The Cabinet expressed appreciation for Japan's hospitality and recognized the significance of Bahrain's pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
In recognition of World Tourism Day, the Cabinet stressed the need for initiatives to bolster Bahrain's tourism sector, praising national efforts to advance the industry. Additionally, congratulations were extended to Saudi Arabia on its National Day, acknowledging its achievements under King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Cabinet approved several memorandums, including those on Bahrain's performance in global competitiveness reports, a draft law on plant genetic resource management, and visa exemption agreements with Azerbaijan, Mongolia, and Dominica. A report on the successful implementation of a summer outdoor work ban, with a compliance rate of 99.97%, was also commended.
Furthermore, the Cabinet reviewed infrastructure plans for road maintenance and bridge expansion, as well as reports on the official visit of the Minister of Works to Egypt and Bahrain's event calendar for late 2025.