“A Secure Middle East Requires Palestinian Statehood” – Bahrain FM
The second day of the IISS Manama Dialogue 2025 unfolded under the compelling theme “Securing the Gulf: Diplomacy, Economics and Defence”, drawing the world’s eyes to Bahrain as regional and international leaders united to chart a shared vision for peace, prosperity, and collective security in the Gulf.
The discussion, rich with conviction and clarity, echoed one message across the hall of the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, security is not a solitary pursuit, it is a shared responsibility.
Dialogue Over Division
“True security cannot be achieved alone” he said, “. It must be built on a vision that unites our peoples, where diversity is strength, and peace is a shared duty.”
Dr. Al Zayani underscored Bahrain’s unwavering belief that diplomacy and cultural understanding remain the surest paths to stability. He spotlighted Bahrain’s leadership in regional and global coalitions that combat terrorism, piracy, and cyber threats, including its role as host of the Combined Maritime Forces, a 47-nation coalition safeguarding vital sea lanes in the Gulf and Red Sea.
“Enduring security depends on genuine cooperation,” he affirmed, highlighting new milestones such as the Arab Council of Cybersecurity Resilience and the GCC Joint Defence Agreement, which enshrines the principle that an attack on one is an attack on all.
Transitioning to economics, Al Zayani drew a direct line between prosperity and peace. “Economic development and integration are not luxuries, they are lifelines,” he declared, noting the GCC’s steady progress toward a unified market and deeper global partnerships.
Reiterating Bahrain’s steadfast stance on Palestine, he warned that “the dream of a secure and prosperous Middle East will remain incomplete until the Palestinian people achieve their legitimate right to statehood.”
Inclusion and Engagement
Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi, Oman’s Foreign Minister, took the stage with a message of inclusion, arguing that the Gulf’s long-term stability depends on drawing regional powers closer, not pushing them apart.
“Security cannot be achieved through isolation or exclusion,” Reflecting on decades of strained relations with Iran, Al Busaidi urged a new approach, one rooted in engagement and respect. “History has shown that isolating Iran has never delivered peace. Constructive dialogue, however, can,” he said, calling for a comprehensive regional security framework that includes every voice, from Iran to Iraq, to address shared threats such as extremism and trafficking.
Maritime Security and Connectivity
From Europe’s vantage point, Georgios Gerapetritis, Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that the peace and prosperity of the Gulf are inseparable from global stability.
“With one of the longest coastlines in Europe, Greece understands that freedom of navigation is not just a principle, it’s a promise,” he said.
Commending recent progress toward peace in Gaza, he praised the mediation efforts of the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. “The silence of the guns, however partial, is the first whisper of hope,” he remarked, reaffirming Greece’s commitment to a two-state solution and post-conflict reconstruction.
Gerapetritis also celebrated deepening partnerships with Gulf states, from joint defense projects with Saudi Arabia and the UAE to renewable energy cooperation across the region.
Region-Led Security Solutions
Concluding the session, Luigi Di Maio, the European Union’s Special Representative for the Gulf Region, offered a forward-looking perspective: “Securing the Gulf begins with the Gulf itself.”
He called for regional-led initiatives supported by international partnerships, stressing that local consensus and ownership are key to lasting peace. “Europe’s role is to empower, not to impose,” Di Maio said, underscoring the EU’s engagement in preventive diplomacy, youth training programs, and cyber and maritime cooperation with GCC nations.
He praised the Gulf’s transformative Vision strategies as blueprints for future cooperation, connecting not just economies but societies. “We are not only building trade, we are building trust,” he said.
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