US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and visiting Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa inked on Wednesday the “Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement” meant to strengthen the strategic partnership between their two countries.
In a speech ahead of signing the deal, Blinken said,” As both a major non-NATO ally and a major security partner, Bahrain is already one of the United States longest standing and closest partners in the Middle East.” “In today’s meeting, we’ll discuss how to deepen our strategic partnership, including through the framework that brings us here today, the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement.
“This agreement deepens our cooperation in three very important ways,” Secretary Blinken pointed out. First, it expands our security and defense collaboration. For more than 25 years, of course, Bahrain has hosted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, and we stand shoulder to shoulder in our mission to secure critical shipping lanes that sustain the entire global economy.
“This agreement will strengthen coordination between our armed forces and the integration of our intelligence capacities, allowing us to even better deter and respond to threats as they arise. “Second, it enhances our economic relationship. Since 2006, our free trade agreement has more than tripled trade and investment to about USD three billion a year.
“Today’s agreement builds on this, in part by identifying new investment opportunities for the private sector partners in the United States. “And third, at a moment when technology holds so much potential to better our lives, this agreement advances scientific and technical cooperation between our countries, including through increased information sharing and exchanges between our people,” he went on.
“And already, we’re collaborating in areas like health security and digital technology. I think we’ll see, with today’s signing, all of this become elevated. “We’ll start the process of working together on renewable energy, on carbon capture technologies, and other cutting edge endeavors.
“This agreement is also the first binding US international agreement of its kind to promote cooperation in developing and deploying trusted technologies, which are vital to protecting our critical systems and our people’s privacy, all of this from bad actors.
“But I think when you — you step back, at the heart of the agreement is a shared goal, working together to build a region that is more secure, that’s more prosperous, and that’s more connected to the world economy.
“We’re looking forward to using this agreement as a framework for additional countries that may wish to join us in strengthening regional stability, economic cooperation, and technological innovation,” he noted.
Secretary Blinken added that the agreement “ensures that this vital relationship between our countries will continue to do what it needs to do, which is to deliver for our people and, I believe, help build a more positive future for people throughout the region. So, with that, again, it’s wonderful to have you here.” Crown Prince Salman arrived in Washington earlier today on an official visit to explore ways for strengthening the partnership in the framework of the strategic dialogue launched between Manamah and Washington in December 2020.
Source: Kuwait News Agency