Indonesia’s deputy foreign minister meets undersecretary

Jakarta, Aug. 4 (BNA): Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Abdurrahman Fachir, received the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Affairs, Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry here. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia welcomed Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and his accompanying delegation, and expressed his happiness with the development of relations witnessed between the two countries, praising the Kingdom’s initiative to strengthen cooperation in various fields. Abdurrahman Fachir expressed his great satisfaction with the positive and promising results of the First Meeting of Political Consultation between the two countries, which will significantly serve common interests, in addition to deepening cultural cooperation and dialogue of civilizations and religions. The deputy minister of foreign affairs also commended the decision of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport, and Honorary Chairman of the Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation, to have chosen Jakarta to host the 12th edition of "Brave" in May of this year, praising his meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who had the greatest impact on boosting bilateral relations. He also stressed the need to enhance communication to advance the relationship between the two countries, especially in the field of sports, noting the great interest in the participation of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the Asian Games hosted by his country, which will be launched on the 18th of August. He expressed his deep appreciation for the Kingdom of Bahrain's solid positions towards the terrorist acts and bombings targeting the Republic of Indonesia, and affirmed his country's support for all measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its national security. The Indonesian official also praised the proper conditions and facilities given to the Indonesian community in the Kingdom of Bahrain, which further highlights the Kingdom’s civilization and progress, and is also a clear reflection of the great development and reform gains witnessed by the Kingdom of Bahrain under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, which also proves the prominent and influential presence of the Kingdom in its regional and international forums. The Undersecretary congratulated the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs on his country's election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2019-2020, expressing his pride in the level of coordination between the two friendly countries, both continental and international, as well as in various gatherings and organizations. He also reviewed the latest developments in the Kingdom of Bahrain and its high-level achievements of all fields, including international reports and indicators, thanks to the comprehensive and unprecedented reforms led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, as the Kingdom is experiencing constant progression and development at all levels. The Undersecretary mentioned that the Asian continent occupies a critical position in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and that there is great interest in consolidating good relations with the Republic of Indonesia and reaching a strategic partnership in order to embody the many elements that the two sides represent, on the basis of love and cultural communication, to serve common interest and benefit both countries and peoples. The Undersecretary also noted that in accordance with the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, the Kingdom of Bahrain adopts leading the new fields of economy, such as digital technology, financial technology, logistics and entrepreneurship, to diversify national income sources, attract investments, and increase trade. He pointed out that the Kingdom will host the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in 2019, which represents a significant opportunity to review the Kingdom's distinctive experience as a destination for business and investment as well as a global center for entrepreneurship and innovation. The two sides also stressed the importance of enhancing trade exchange, encouraging the private sector in both countries, Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Joint Business Council to intensify mutual visits and develop necessary legislation and policies to facilitate the development of cooperation in economy, trade, investment and the digital economy, aiming to reach solid economic partnership, both at the bilateral and regional levels. The Undersecretary spoke about the distinguished role and outstanding contributions of the Indonesian community in the Kingdom of Bahrain and reviewed the governmental measures adopted in accordance with international standards to ensure the availability of suitable working and living environment, pointing out the labor market reforms, which have received international acclaim. The Undersecretary also stated that “We share a variety of common values with Indonesia, which reflect the strong relations between the two countries. These values are characterized by tolerance, coexistence and moderation." He also stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain represents one of the best models of human coexistence in the world, thanks to His Majesty's pioneering and inspiring initiatives. In this context, the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Co-existence was established as a practical application of a noble vision to promote peaceful coexistence and to consolidate tolerance and dialogue between cultures, civilizations and religions. The Undersecretary also discussed the situation in the Gulf region, pointing out that the Iranian regime is spreading corruption, by channeling certain resources in the service of acts of terrorism, and establishing and supporting armed militias, as well as interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. He also stressed the importance of the international community to combat countries that sponsors terrorism, pointing out in this regard the responsible and decisive actions taken by the countries calling for the fight against terrorism to deter anyone who wishes to tamper with the security of the region. The meeting also discussed means of developing bilateral cooperation relations in different fields. They also exchanged views of common interest on the current developments on the regional and international arenas. The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Bahrain Centre for Strategic, International and Energy Studies, Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, met at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, the Head of the Centre for Policy Analysis and Development on Asia-Pacific and African Regions, Dr. Arifi Saiman. During the meeting, Dr. Saiman reviewed the objectives and responsibilities of the Center for Policy Analysis and Development in strengthening Indonesia's regional and global role, which contributes to peace and stability, enhancing cooperation, organizing technical policies and plans, and evaluating and developing programs in foreign affairs, especially concerning cooperation between ASEAN and other regional groupings. The undersecretary stressed the importance of strengthening economic partnerships and cooperation among regional groupings in order to achieve sustainable development and enhance understanding and friendship between countries to meet the existing challenges. The meeting also witnessed a discussion of several proposals to enhance cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries, especially in terms of policy analysis and development, and evaluation programmes.