HM King iaugurates third session of 6th Legislative Term

Manama, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa inaugurated the third session of the sixth legislative term of the Shura Council and the Council of Representatives, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Upon His Majesty's arrival at the Isa Cultural Centre, accompanied by a procession of police cavalry, he was received by Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, Speaker of the Council of Representatives, and Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, Chairman of the Shura Council. The royal anthem was played, and verses of the Holy Quran were recited. Then, HM the King delivered the following address: In the name of Allah the most Merciful, the most Compassionate, Praise be to Allah and prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammed and his family and companions, Distinguished Brothers and Sisters, Members of the National Assembly, May the peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you, With Allah's blessing, we are pleased to inaugurate the third session of the National Assembly in its sixth term. Today marks the beginning of a new phase of parliamentary life, in which your esteemed Assembly works to uphold its constitutional customs and traditions, and enhances its legislative process, within an open framework for all that is agreed upon to secure the country's future and its civilisational progress. Since the outset of this era 25 years ago, we have remained committed to what we have pledged to act upon, and to what our common will agreed upon, to safeguard our supreme national interests in the state of institutions and law. Today, we take pride in its renewed developmental architecture, and its harmonious society, that strives for further progress. In this regard, we commend the tireless efforts of the Government team, led by our Crown Prince, the Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who has made his mark in the fields of public service, by adopting the best administrative and organisational practices, to ensure the highest quality of government services. In this context, we underscore the importance of completing the plans derived from the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, whose results are delivering remarkable development, as reflected in performance and competitiveness indicators, both nationally and internationally. In this regard, we direct that work is accelerated on its next version for the year 2050, which should provide a renewed vision for the future of our country and its generations, to maintain its advanced position as a modern state that is committed to the values ??of its Islamic Sharia, strengthening its national bonds, and fortifying its national identity as an fundamental component of comprehensive development and early national education. Out of our strong interest in this national priority, we direct the competent authorities to conduct an comprehensive study to measure our readiness to consolidate the Bahraini identity. This should ensure that all its elements are embraced wherever we head, to enable us to ma intain the balance between the requirements of openness and advancement and the requirements of protecting our national security in its inregrated form- particularly with regard to the security and investment of our natural resources and so as to secure a sustainable future of abundance. In the context of our immense interest in this national priority, we express our satisfaction with the efforts to enhance the levels of food security and natural resources, and in employing modern technologies, including artificial intelligence. We direct the expansion of these programmes in vital sectors, in line with the necessary systems and standards to advance sciences and knowledge for the benefit of all. We also commend the continuous efforts in building our civilisation, fortified by the solid national determination embodied by our workforce, whether in civil service, where they offer the best in dedication and service, or in military service, where they demonstrate extraordinary courage and sacrifice, standing as v igilant eyes in defending the homeland and protecting its gains. Furthermore, we take this opportunity to praise the recent sporting achievements, of winning an unprecedented number of Olympic medals for the Kingdom of Bahrain. Our thanks go to all involved, and long live our beloved Bahrain through their efforts. Brothers and sisters, The Kingdom of Bahrain is committed to the duty of solidarity and cooperation in support of Arab causes, and to striving resolutely and earnestly for the good of humanity and the harmony between its societies, in order to achieve world peace that must be restored in such difficult times. We have repeatedly stressed the need for an immediate cessation of the war in the Gaza strip, and the resumption of all diplomatic efforts to pursue peaceful solutions, aiming to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, in accordance with all historic resolutions and initiatives that must be fulfilled. Therefore, ending the clashes has become an urgent necess ity, especially as the fires of the war have reached Lebanon. All parties to the conflict must be aware of the dangers of being drawn into a full-scale war, the consequences of which will be dire. In this regard, we renew the call of the Kingdom of Bahrain, adopted by the last Arab Summit, to hold an expanded and urgent conference or meeting to restore hope for achieving the desired peace. Amid these challenging regional circumstances, we thank God for the unity and cohesion of our authentic Bahraini society, and its responsible national awareness that makes it more resilient and determined to enhance its national integrity, becoming stronger despite the dangers surround it. We look with confidence and appreciation to the role of the legislative authority in enacting and developing the necessary legislation that embodies the values of unity and justice, and to maintain the steadiness of the comprehensive development process with its shining achievements, to be passed down from generation to generation. In conclusion, Bahrain, as always, a steadfast supporter of its brothers and friends, and will continue to be a civilised model in preserving rights and protecting freedoms, with the help of the Almighty, thanks to the resilient spirit of its sons and daughters in fulfiling their national duties, so that the flag of the nation will always fly high in glory and pride. May Allah grant us success, and may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you. Following that a speech was delivered by Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, Speaker of the Council of Representatives, in which he expressed appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for inaugurating the third session of the sixth legislative term, coinciding with the Kingdom's Silver Jubilee celebrations. He praised Bahrain's remarkable progress and highlighted HM the King's vision, which has driven national development. The speaker reaffirmed the legislative authority's commitment to following HM the King's directives to further the legislative progress, in cooperation with the government under His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He emphasised the focus on economic recovery, financial balance, housing, and public services. He also noted Bahrain's forward-looking approach in drafting its Vision 2050, aiming to enhance the Kingdom's sustainable development and stability. Al Musallam expressed the Council's readiness to support investment opportunities, food security, and technological innovation. Furthermore, he said that measures will be taken to utilise parliamentary diplomacy as a tool to advocate HM the Kings's call for a Middle East peace conference and HRH the Crown Prince's appeal at the United Nations for a treaty on AI governance as a means of contributing to peace. He said the parliamentary diplomacy approach will also seek to continue reinforcing joint, Gulf, Arab and Islamic action and other noble goals. Moreover, the Speaker commended Bahrain's sporting achievements, including tho se attained by His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and McLaren, owned by the sovereign Fund Mumtalakat, in global competitions. The Speaker also praised the role of the Supreme Council for Women, led by Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, in offering programmes and initiatives that support the advancement of Bahraini women. He concluded by paying tribute to the sacrifices of Bahrain's armed forces and civil servants. Source: Bahrain News Agency