HRH Premier chairs cabinet session

Manama, Jan. 29 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has welcomed the designation of the city of Muharraq as the Capital of Islamic Culture for the year 2018 by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO). HRH the Prime Minister hailed His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s patronage of the ceremony held on the occasion, describing ISESCO’s selection of Muharraq as Capital of Islamic Culture for this year as an international recognition of the city’s deep-rooted culture, and an appreciation of the kingdom’s rich cultural and civilisational heritage. Chairing the regular weekly Cabinet session, at the Gudaibiya Palace today, HRH the Premier, was updated about the progress of a number of development projects aimed to enhance the services delivered to the citizens across Muharraq in various fields, a statement by the Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said. The Prime Minister was informed about the relevant ministers’ reports on the development projects, and gave directives to ensure that the medical project in the north of Muharraq would be an integrated medical city with a long-stay hospital, a maternity hospital and a sclerosis centre, in addition to the existing elderly care centre. The Prime Minister requested the concerned authorities to proceed quickly with the implementation of the medical project as soon as the current construction tenders have been awarded, and to keep him updated about its progress. HRH Premier also tasked the Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure to follow up on the implementation of the «Sa'ada» (happiness) project. He was also briefed about the implementation progress of the Muharraq Central Market, as well as about the Muharraq Souq’s Revamp project. HRH the Prime Minister also gave instructions to extend the services that technically and logistically support the shopping and tourism centres in the kingdom to make them more attractive to citizens and visitors. This could be achieved through the provision of stimulating and encouraging services, such as free and speed internet and other necessary services, especially at historical markets, like the Muharraq and Manama souqs and others, the Premier said, requesting the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications to follow up on the matter.  While tackling regional and global developments, the cabinet followed up oon the events in Aden, in Yemen, and reiterated Bahrain’s firm stance in support of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition. The session also strongly condemned and denounced the terrorist blast that took place in Kabul, Afghanistan, and left dozens killed or injured. The cabinet offered deepest condolences to the victims’ relatives, and to the government and people of friendly Afghanistan, and wished the wounded quick recovery, renewing the kingdom’s principled stance in rejection of all forms and manisfestation of terrorism, and calling for concerted efforts by the International Community to combat and confront it. While reviewing the memoranda on its agenda, the session approved the establishment of a National Ambulance Centre under the Ministry of Interior’s supervision, to increase the efficiency of the ambulance services in the kingdom.  The cabinet endorsed a draft edict on establishing the National Ambulance Centre, as well as on its objectives, tasks, terms of reference, organisational structure and funding. After that, the session approved the final signing of the Air Services Agreement between Bahrain and Brazil, and mandated the competent minister to sign it on behalf of the Government of Bahrain.  The Agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the field of air transport services, as parties to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The cabinet approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bahrain’s Ministry of Education and the « Mohammed V University » in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and mandated the relevant minister to sign it on behalf of the Government of Bahrain. Under the MoU, the two sides will cooperate to qualify graduate students from Bahrain to join the Mohammed V University in Abu Dhabi to pursue their university studies.  The session discussed an MoU between Bahrain and the African Union Commission, reviewed the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs on it, and submitted it to same panel for further scrutiny. The cabinet also endorsed three proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives, and approved the draft government’s replies on each of them, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs and highlighted in the memorandum submitted by the Deputy Premier and the committee Chairman. The proposals included developing a media policy to counter campaigns aimed at distorting the kingdom’s image at international gatherings, ensuring easy procedures for the establishment of a new aviation company, and studying negative phenomena in society. Meanwhile, another proposal, submitted by the Council of Representatives on municipal fees for unmarried Bahraini women without breadwinners or regular sources of income, was referred to the Lavour and Social Development Ministry.