Manama: Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa joined Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, in officially opening the UK Naval Support Facility (NSF).
Prince Salman said that close cooperation with international partners and allies remains an essential component of Bahrain’s comprehensive development programme, led by King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa.
“The opening of the NSF represents an important milestone in Bahrain and the United Kingdom’s joint efforts to support regional security and stability, and a clear indication of the strength of relations between the two countries,” he said, quoted by Bahrain News Agency (BNA).
Defence cooperation between the two countries has played a pivotal role in ensuring stability and peace in the Gulf region for over 90 years and King Hamad’s continued support towards bilateral relationship has served to deepen friendship and cooperation across a range of areas, he said.
In his speech, the Duke of York highlighted the role of King Hamad and Queen Elizabeth II in strengthening bilateral relations, and noted that the NSF would serve the common interests of both countries.
The Duke of York emphasised both countries’ eagerness to further develop the horizons of cooperation and expressed confidence in the growing partnership between Bahrain and the United Kingdom.
The NSF, which can house around 500 Royal Navy personnel, including sailors, soldiers and airmen, is the first British permanent military base in the Middle East in more than four decades.
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa said the launch of the NSF marks a new chapter in a defence relationship that has cemented ties between the two Kingdoms.
The strong partnership between the Royal Navy and the Royal Bahrain Naval Force forms an important component of ties between the two nations, he added. He also praised the Royal Navy’s support to Bahrain and its allies both within the Gulf region and beyond.
