UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group
Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood met H.E Abdullah Abdulatif Abdulla, the Undersecretary at the Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group in London.
The fourth meeting of the biannual UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group took place in London on 4 December 2014, chaired by the Rt. Hon Tobias Ellwood MP, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and H.E Abdullah Abdulatif Abdulla, the Undersecretary at the Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
H.E Mr Abdulla and Mr Ellwood, together with officials from Bahrain and the UK, discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, including co-operation on key trade and investment opportunities. They exchanged views on recent political and security developments within the Middle East and agreed to maintain an open dialogue on this. Co-operation and assistance on security and counter-terrorism also featured.
The Joint Working Group discussed progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry Report and UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review. It was agreed that the UK would continue to provide assistance to Bahrain’s reform programme, with a continuing focus on strengthening human rights and the rule of law. Mr Ellwood congratulated the Ministry of Interior’s Ombudsman and the National Institute of Human Rights on their Challiott Prize award for progress made on promoting human rights.
Both governments will continue to work in partnership to achieve progress on the areas discussed ahead of the next meeting, which will take place in Bahrain next year.
Further information
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