HH Shaikh Nasser attends military base opening in Egypt

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa deputised HM the King’s Representative for Charity Work and Youth Affairs, National Security Advisor and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport, HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to attend the official opening of the ‘Bernice’ military base, at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi of Egypt.

HH Shaikh Nasser conveyed greetings and wishes of success from HM King Hamad to President El Sisi. While watching the military drill, ‘Qadir 2020’, attended by a number of countries’ leaders, ambassadors and military attachés, HH Shaikh Nasser lauded Egypt’s pioneering policies aimed at securing its strategic locations.

He stressed that the ‘Bernice’ military base is among Egypt’s advanced military facilities and the largest of its kind in the Middle East, noting that it reflects Egypt’s constant keenness to modernise its army so as to be able to face all challenges. HH Shaikh Nasser stressed the importance of military development to address military imbalance in the Middle East region, noting that Egypt epitomises alliance for moderation, stability and development, and that its policies aim to thwart plans to spread chaos and subvert stability and peace.

HH Shaikh Nasser pointed out that investment in security is the cornerstone of economic growth and stability, in the midst of the challenges currently facing the world. HH Shaikh Nasser watched huge military land, air and sea manoeuvres, in which the Mistral helicopters, combat ships, submarines, amphibious landing forces and various types of multi-role combat aircraft and attack helicopters participated.

Located in the south of the Red Sea, the new base is the latest in a series of Egyptian military bases established as part of a plan to develop and modernise the Egyptian Army. Covering an area of 150,000 acres and overlooking the Red Sea coast on Egypt’s southern border, the ‘Bernice’ military base includes two tarmacs and a hangar to perform maintenance operations on jets.

It boasts multiple firing and training ranges for all weapons, as well as a number of logistic and housing facilities. The military facility also contains an air base, a naval base, a military hospital and a number of combat and administrative units.

The strategic goal of establishing the base is to protect and secure the southern coasts of Egypt, protect economic investments and natural resources, and confront security challenges within the Red Sea as well as secure global navigation from the Red Sea to the Suez Canal and the associated economic zones.