A new bilateral momentum between France and Bahrain

ERIC GIRAUD-TELME

FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO BAHRAIN

The fourth meeting of the Joint Bahraini-French High Committee was held on Thursday, 24 July 2025, at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in Paris. The session was co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, and H.E. Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

This Joint High Committee was an opportunity to build on the momentum of the meeting between His Majesty King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa and the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace in Paris, 6 months ago.

As Bahrain prepares to join the Security Council next January, in the current regional and international context we need dialogue and cooperation now more than ever. This dialogue between France and the Kingdom of Bahrain is rooted in a long-standing and trustful relationship, in shared values, such as multilateralism, respect for international law, and a commitment for political processes.

The High Committee reflects a shared political will to strengthen our ties, in a spirit of friendship, mutual respect and trust. It is part of our shared desire to build this relationship on concrete projects for the future. While we already have a multifaceted cooperation in many sectors, there is room for further cooperation, trade and investment opportunities in so many fields: be it industry, tech, tourism, agriculture, waste management, water management, transport, health, education, sports, cultural and creative industries.

The High Committee also focused on our sustainable economies. As we are celebrating this year the 10th anniversary of the Paris agreement adopted during COP21, and facing the challenges of climate change. France is ready to support this transition Bahrain’s commitment to decarbonizing its economy; Bahraini and French teams will continue to work together on concrete solutions to support the energy transition inspired by the visions of our respective leaders: France 2030 and the Economic Vision 2030 for his Majesty King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa.

Our cooperation is also getting deeper in the education field. The Alliance Française, founded in 1969, is entering a new phase of its development. The French International School has proven to be a high-quality trilingual educational institution in Bahrain open to all communities.

These are emblematic of Bahrain’s lasting attachment to the French culture and language, notably since Bahrain has extended French to Secondary Schools as early as 2009 as per is Majesty’s will.

France also supports academic cooperation projects, through partnerships between French and Bahraini universities, such as the University of Bahrain or the Arabian Gulf University, which hosts a renowned MBA from ESSEC. Bahraini students are trained in France every year, in the fields of engineering, commerce, medicine, or film. France wishes to strengthen these mobilities.

This is true also for cultural cooperation. The success of museum exchanges around archaeology, the exhibition of Bahraini pieces in the Louvre Museum and in augmented reality, show the shared interest in a heritage and artistic dialogue.

The ties between France and Bahrain are old, solid and promising. Today, with the impetus given by the High Committee, we have the ideal tool to bring our Bahraini-French relationship to another level. It is now up to Bahrain and France to make it live, in a spirit of efficiency, partnership and trust.

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Daily Tribune)