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Lavrov, Bahraini Foreign Minister to discuss trade ties and regional issues in Moscow

The Embassy of Bahrain in Moscow told TASS that among the most important issues the ministers will discuss resuming direct flights between the two countries, interrupted by the pandemic

MOSCOW, July 2. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks on Friday with his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, who is in the Russian capital on a working visit.

This is Al Alzayani’s second trip to Russia since his appointment as Foreign Minister of the Kingdom in February 2020. In June 2021, he participated in the events of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The upcoming meeting of ministers is expected to help maintain a trust-based political dialogue on regional and international issues and will allow discussing topical issues of further development of Russian-Bahraini relations.

Mutually beneficial relationships

In 2020, diplomatic relations between the two countries turned 30 years old. According to the message received by TASS from the kingdom’s embassy in Russia, decades of cooperation have benefited both countries.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that Moscow and Manama are connected by traditionally friendly ties, the countries maintain regular political dialogue at various levels. The meeting of ministers will make it possible to thoroughly discuss topical issues of further development of the entire range of cooperation, practical implementation of the agreements reached in the course of contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

The Russian Foreign Ministry considers the Foreign Minister’s visit as another important step towards building bilateral multifaceted ties, develop peace and stability in the Persian Gulf zone, and promote constructive agenda in the entire Middle East region.

Business interaction: trade and air travel

The Embassy of Bahrain in Moscow told TASS that among the most important issues the ministers will discuss resuming direct flights between the two countries, interrupted by the pandemic, as well as Bahraini students continuing education in Russia.

Particular attention at the talks, as expected, will be given to increasing the volume of mutual trade and investment partnership, boosting the work of the intergovernmental Russian-Bahraini commission on trade, economic, scientific, and technical cooperation and the building up of interregional, cultural, and humanitarian ties.

The Russian Foreign Ministry drew attention to the fact that at the end of 2020, due to the unfavorable economic situation and the decline in world energy prices associated with the coronavirus pandemic, the volume of bilateral trade decreased by 53% compared to the same period of the previous year and amounted to $21.3 mln.

In this regard, an important role in enhancing the exchange of goods is assigned to the bilateral intergovernmental commission. At present, the issue of organizing its third meeting in Manama is being considered.

The ministers will also discuss key aspects of Russian-Bahraini cooperation within the UN and other multilateral platforms.

Pressing question: Sputnik V production

Cooperation in the fight against the pandemic will not be ignored either. The Bahraini authorities have already approved the use of the Russian Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines in the kingdom. Sputnik V has already demonstrated an efficiency of 94.3%.

Cooperation between the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the Bahraini sovereign fund Mumtalakat is also developing at a good pace. Thus, RDIF, the Mumtalakat Foundation, and Binnopharm Group (part of Sistema) have agreed to build an enterprise for the production of the Sputnik V vaccine in the kingdom. It is expected that the products of this enterprise will be supplied to the markets of the Middle East and North Africa.