Bahrain encourages private sector in defence production

Manama, Oct 29th (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain is opening up the defense sector for the private investors as part of leadership’s vision and strategy to take the production of defence industry to the next level of excellence. This was the crux of the media talk by National Security Advisor and Commander of the Royal Guard Major General HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa on the sidelines of Day Two of the second edition of Bahrain International Defence Exhibition and Conference (BIDEC 2019). HH Shaikh Nasser speaking on Bahrain's Armour Personnel Carrier (APC) production said: "We will encourage this industry; we will encourage our investors from the private sector and we are putting the right structure for this industry and God willing as per the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa we will go forward and see a local role in defense production." Bahrain which has produced the first indigenous armed APC ‘Faisal’ currently displayed at the BIDEC 2019 has a lot of interest from the regional and Gulf Cooperation Council delegates. “The private sector has expressed readiness, enthusiasm and seriousness to invest in this sector and this will open a new era for the defense production in Bahrain,” said Major General, HH Shaikh Nasser, who is also Head of the Supreme Organising Committee of BIDEC 2019. “We want initially to find the necessary and most appropriate mechanism and thereafter find the best and most suitable partner,” he said, adding that do need private sector partnership that will assist us in this sector. In other industries, Bahrain does have great and reliable partners, he adde. “BIDEC is always important at this time or later stages as the situation never settles. The situation always gets into different dynamics and we need to adapt to these situations; we need to get together and share the information and knowledge and come up with the best results that could serve the region the best,” HH said, responding to a question on BIDEC’s scope and importance for Bahrain. “By God's grace we have great support from our allies, from our friends around the world; we have delegations from more than 48 countries that came to BIDEC 2019 and we have many experts from those countries who spoke at the conference (MEMTEC). We have a theme which focused on Technologies and Modern Warfare. So, we have many people who are participating and deliberations during the MEMTEC on various topics and who will help provide invaluable insights for national policy formation as well as the review of equipment and technologies in the changing security architecture of the region. I believe the outcome of BIDEC will help us in consolidating peace, stability and defence in the region,” HH said. Referring to the BIDEC exhibition HH said that there have been many companies from different countries signing deals, as this is one of the key objectives of the event. “That is why it is getting bigger and better each edition by the grace of God Almighty.” “The recent incidents that took place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was not only against the KSA. It also meant that the entire world was under terrorist attacks. What has had happened has posed a major threat to the global community. “However, some good came out of it. This incident opened our eyes towards the enemy of this region and it made clear that what they are planning for us, especially when we talk about the maritime security in this part of the world,” he said “I believe we are ready to deal with all these threats especially in the presence of the coalition forces currently operating in the region. Thanks be to God, our leaders can deal with all these threats.”