News In Brief

Bahrain Calls For Dialogue

Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani called for stronger international efforts to promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue and counter hate speech during the Global Conference on Promoting Dialogue among Religions and Cultures and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech at the United Nations headquarters in New York. He warned that digital platforms enable extremism and misinformation to spread at unprecedented speed.

Dr Al Zayani reaffirmed Bahrain’s commitment to freedom of opinion and expression while stressing that it should not be used to incite hatred. He said combating hate speech requires shared responsibility among governments, educational and media institutions, civil society and technology companies, and highlighted Bahrain’s approach to religious and cultural diversity and coexistence.

Islamic Council Praises Research

The Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, His Excellency Shaikh Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Khalifa, received Professor Dr. Waheeb Essa Alnase, Professor of Applied Physics and member of the Supreme Committee for the Bahrain Calendar. Al Nasser presented him with a copy of a new scientific publication, “Guide to Religious and Official Occasions in the Kingdom of Bahrain for 2026–2080,” authored by him and Dr Mohammed Al Othman.

Smart Cities Association

Housing and Urban Planning Minister Amna bint Ahmed Al Rumaihi received Dr Shaikha Fay bint Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairperson of the Bahrain Smart Cities Association, along with several board members. The meeting discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the ministry and the association in innovation, digital transformation and smart-city applications.

The discussions also covered the use of data, modern technologies and smart solutions in housing and urban development projects and services to improve operational efficiency and support sustainable communities.

Connectivity and Investment Opportunities

Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Dr Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa held a series of meetings with senior Saudi officials in Riyadh to strengthen cooperation in transportation, telecommunications, logistics and investment. Discussions covered digital infrastructure, land transport, ports, logistics services, railway connectivity and investment opportunities.

The minister also met Saudi officials responsible for investment and civil aviation to discuss joint projects, supply-chain efficiency, air connectivity and the exchange of expertise. The meetings focused on supporting strategic integration and expanding cooperation between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia across key infrastructure and transport sectors.

Customs Service Digitised

The Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) has transformed its customs clearance request service for imports and exports into a fully electronic service, allowing businesses to verify compliance with environmental requirements before starting customs clearance procedures. The upgrade reduced required documents by 50%, application steps from four to three, and processing time from 20 working days to three.

SCE Chief Executive Amna Hamad Al Rumaihi said the service is designed to improve the speed and efficiency of transactions and support the business environment.