RUSI-Bahrain Partnership Launch
RUSI partners with Bahraini Ministry of Interior to convene the second Global and Homeland Security Forum and Exhibition 2009
The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) has concluded an agreement with the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Bahrain over the organisation of the second Bahrain Global and Homeland Security Forum and Exhibition, to be held in Bahrain on 24-25 February 2009.
The Forum is following on the achievements of the first such gathering which took place in Bahrain in November 2007, and is designed to become the premier security event in the region, bringing together politicians, industry leaders, experts and academics. The Forum is the brainchild of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior, but has received support and encouragement from many other governments and institutions, both within the region and in Europe, Asia and North America.
Marking the conclusion of this agreement, Major-General Abdul Latif Rashid Al Zayani, the Chief of Public Security of the Kingdom of Bahrain, yesterday visited the Institute’s London headquarters and delivered a keynote speech at the ‘Science and Technology for Homeland Security and Resilience’ Conference. RUSI’s Chairman, Sir Paul Lever, expressed the Institute’s privilege to welcome Major-General Al Zayani and his delegation to London, adding that RUSI was proud to be partnering with Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior in this important endeavour. Sir Paul noted that “Bahrain’s initiative represents a significant contribution to the debate on homeland and global security in the Middle East and around the world”.
RUSI was founded in 1831 at the initiative of the Duke of Wellington, and is the oldest surviving institute of its kind in the world. It is an independent think-tank for defence and security, and embodies nearly two centuries of forward thinking, free discussion and careful reflection on defence and security matters. The Institute has been actively engaged in the debates on Gulf and Middle East security; it established an office in Qatar in 2007. However, this is the Institute’s first activity in Bahrain, a country of vast strategic importance within the Gulf and the wider Middle East. Furthermore, it is a venture which Sir Paul Lever, the Chairman, described as both “exciting and challenging, but one which can only enhance Western understanding of regional security concerns, and broaden the dialogue between countries not only about the threats to our stabilities, but also about the appropriate methods of dealing with them, while respecting the concerns and aspirations of each nation”.
RUSI is particularly pleased to be working with Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior. The Ministry shares a history of forward-thinking, professionalism and leadership. For example, it was first in the Gulf to establish a police force by elected council in 1918. That force was in turn the first in the region to appoint and employ policewomen, including at senior level. Bahrain as a nation has also pioneered a number of key political, economic and security developments. RUSI Chairman, Sir Paul Lever, echoed remarks made earlier by Major-General Al Zayani about Bahrain being a ‘pace-setter’. Sir Paul highlighted Bahrain’s position as a recognised leader in the region, including in its embrace of democracy, social inclusiveness and globalisation. He made particular reference to the UNDP Human Development Report, which has consistently ranked Bahrain first in the Arab world notably for its good governance and the excellent management of resources practised by its leadership. Bahrain continues to play a critical role in security affairs and counter-proliferation in the Gulf.
Further information on the Bahrain Global and Homeland Security Forum and Exhibition 2009 will be released in the summer, and registration for participants is scheduled to commence in September 2008.
Contact
For more information, please contact Christopher Pang, Head of Middle East and North Africa Programme at cpang@rusi.org or +44 (0)20 7747 4956.