Focus on key security issues as Manama Dialogue 2019 begins

The 15th edition of the Manama Dialogue, the premier specialised security summit in Middle East, organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), began yesterday, in the presence of prominent political, defence and security decision-makers and experts from the region and the world.

The three-day prestigious summit will provide a platform for ministers, diplomats and intellectuals to discuss key issues of great importance to the regional and global security and stability. The Minister of Finance and National Economy, Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, participated in the opening session of the security conference.

The plenary session, entitled the New Geo-Economics of the Middle East, focused on the geo-economic trends of Middle East-Asia relations and their strategic implications. During the session, Shaikh Salman praised the longstanding depth of political and economic Middle East-Asia relations, whilst highlighting current and future trade dynamics.

He noted that as GCC and Middle East economies continue their diversification efforts away from oil, sectors such as finance, tourism and technology will become increasingly important to bilateral trade development.  The minister stressed the importance of utilising such opportunities in light of global economic headwinds.