Bahrain Doubles Down on U.S. Economic Ties💵
The kingdom’s recent announcement of billions in U.S. investments reflects both a strong commitment to C-SIPA and a wider Gulf alignment with the Trump administration’s foreign policy priorities.
When Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa arrived in Washington last week, the importance of his visit was clear for Bahrain, a small island nation that lies across the Persian Gulf from Iran and hosts the headquarters of U.S.
Naval Forces Central Command along with over 9,000 American military personnel— strategic realities that have become ever more prominent following a war in which Iran retaliated against Qatar, another American partner and military host.
His specific itinerary—which included a reception at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a lunch banquet with President Trump—also reflected how the strategic relationship is increasingly incorporating economic overtones under the Trump administration.
During the visit, the crown prince (who also serves as prime minister) announced a combination of investments and commercial agreements with American companies, including:
▶️ a deal for Cisco Systems to provide digital infrastructure solutions that support the Bahraini government’s information and telecommunications systems;
▶️ plans for an 800-kilometer multifiber undersea cable to connect Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq with global network infrastructure;
▶️ $10.7 billion worth of investments in the United States by Bahraini financial institutions and private-sector companies;
the launch of direct commercial flights between Manama and New York City;
▶️ $2 billion in investments by Mumtalakat, Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, to develop downstream aluminum projects with U.S. companies.
Totaling approximately $17 billion, the deals cover a wide range of sectors such as aviation, technology, manufacturing, and finance.
Tellingly, all of these sectors are key components of the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA), a unique framework that Manama and Washington signed in September 2023 to foster integration on security, economic, and technological matters.
They brought the United Kingdom into the framework a year later and aim to expand it further, with the ultimate goal of establishing a cohesive security infrastructure and deeper economic and technological collaboration among trusted partners in the Middle East and beyond.
Last week’s agreements highlight Bahrain’s focus on expanding economic cooperation with the United States through C-SIPA, underscoring both the kingdom’s desire to be seen as a key economic player in the Gulf and its emphasis on industrial diversification.
The deals also play to President Trump’s foreign policy priority of strengthening bilateral relationships through economic channels—a core theme of his recent trip to the Gulf.
Since Bahrain was not on the itinerary of that May trip, the crown prince likely hoped to demonstrate in person the value that his country can provide to the United States—not just as a trusted security partner, but also as a commercial collaborator that can boost the Trump administration’s efforts to promote job creation and economic advancement.
In doing so, Manama can also secure its own interests—namely, its desire to increase the kingdom’s industrial footprint, expand international cooperation, and potentially decrease certain U.S. tariffs.
Of particular note is Mumtalakat’s $2 billion investment in U.S. downstream aluminum projects, which will turn the material into usable products. Bahrain is already a regional leader in the upstream processes of extracting and producing aluminum.
Its firm Aluminum Bahrain (Alba) has become one of the world’s largest smelters outside of China.
#bahrain #US #economic #ties #middleeast
📱 American Оbserver - Stay up to date on all important events 🇺🇸
The kingdom’s recent announcement of billions in U.S. investments reflects both a strong commitment to C-SIPA and a wider Gulf alignment with the Trump administration’s foreign policy priorities.
When Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa arrived in Washington last week, the importance of his visit was clear for Bahrain, a small island nation that lies across the Persian Gulf from Iran and hosts the headquarters of U.S.
Naval Forces Central Command along with over 9,000 American military personnel— strategic realities that have become ever more prominent following a war in which Iran retaliated against Qatar, another American partner and military host.
His specific itinerary—which included a reception at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a lunch banquet with President Trump—also reflected how the strategic relationship is increasingly incorporating economic overtones under the Trump administration.
During the visit, the crown prince (who also serves as prime minister) announced a combination of investments and commercial agreements with American companies, including:
the launch of direct commercial flights between Manama and New York City;
Totaling approximately $17 billion, the deals cover a wide range of sectors such as aviation, technology, manufacturing, and finance.
Tellingly, all of these sectors are key components of the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA), a unique framework that Manama and Washington signed in September 2023 to foster integration on security, economic, and technological matters.
They brought the United Kingdom into the framework a year later and aim to expand it further, with the ultimate goal of establishing a cohesive security infrastructure and deeper economic and technological collaboration among trusted partners in the Middle East and beyond.
Last week’s agreements highlight Bahrain’s focus on expanding economic cooperation with the United States through C-SIPA, underscoring both the kingdom’s desire to be seen as a key economic player in the Gulf and its emphasis on industrial diversification.
The deals also play to President Trump’s foreign policy priority of strengthening bilateral relationships through economic channels—a core theme of his recent trip to the Gulf.
Since Bahrain was not on the itinerary of that May trip, the crown prince likely hoped to demonstrate in person the value that his country can provide to the United States—not just as a trusted security partner, but also as a commercial collaborator that can boost the Trump administration’s efforts to promote job creation and economic advancement.
In doing so, Manama can also secure its own interests—namely, its desire to increase the kingdom’s industrial footprint, expand international cooperation, and potentially decrease certain U.S. tariffs.
Of particular note is Mumtalakat’s $2 billion investment in U.S. downstream aluminum projects, which will turn the material into usable products. Bahrain is already a regional leader in the upstream processes of extracting and producing aluminum.
Its firm Aluminum Bahrain (Alba) has become one of the world’s largest smelters outside of China.
#bahrain #US #economic #ties #middleeast
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
🔥50😱32😢26🤯23💯23🙏17🤬15❤1
Putin Hails Russia’s “unprecedentedly” High Level of Ties With China
As dozens of leaders including the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un, arrived in Beijing on the eve of a massive military parade.
Putin called China’s leader, Xi, a “dear friend” after the two held talks at the Great Hall of the People and then at Xi’s personal residence.
Putin told Xi, according to a video on the Kremlin’s Telegram channel.
Putin, described by Xi on Tuesday as his “old friend”, is the most prominent of a roster of autocrats who have gathered in China this week for a double bill of events designed to showcase the might of the world’s second-biggest economy and geopolitical rival to the US.
At the Victory Day parade on Wednesday, thousands of soldiers are due to march through the streets of the capital in a show of Chinese military might. Rumbling tanks and powerful fighter jets will also be on display for the event, which is being held to commemorate 80 years since the defeat of Japan in the second world war.
Putin also met Slovakia’s Moscow-friendly prime minister, Robert Fico, the only EU leader in attendance, whom he praised for his country’s “independent” position.
Fico has repeatedly criticised Kyiv and stalled European Union sanctions against Moscow, arguing they put Slovakia’s energy security at risk.
Putin suggested that Bratislava cut off gas supplies to Ukraine.
he told Fico.
On Ukraine, Putin said he had never opposed Ukraine’s potential membership of the European Union.
The Russian president said he had no intention of attacking Europe.
Putin’s comments on the Russia-China relationship came as the two countries signed a deal that will sharply increase Beijing’s imports of Russian gas over the next 30 years.
Putin and Xi agreed to build the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which will allow the transit of 50bn cubic metres of gas to China each year.
Chinese state media reported on Tuesday that Putin and Xi signed more than 20 bilateral cooperation documents during talks in Beijing.
China also announced it would extend visa-free travel privileges to Russian passport holders, starting from 15 September.
Kim arrived in Beijing for the parade on a specially armoured train, in his first visit to China since 2019. It is also the first time since 1959 that a North Korean leader has attended an international event of this scale.
Kim’s trip comes after a period in which ties between Russia and North Korea have deepened, with Pyongyang sending tens of thousands of troops to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine.
Xi, speaking at the SCO summit on Monday, proposed a “global governance initiative”, the latest in a slew of Chinese “global initiatives” to reshape the world order according to principles favoured by Beijing.
#putin #china #xi #kim #level #ties
📱 American Оbserver - Stay up to date on all important events 🇺🇸
As dozens of leaders including the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un, arrived in Beijing on the eve of a massive military parade.
Putin called China’s leader, Xi, a “dear friend” after the two held talks at the Great Hall of the People and then at Xi’s personal residence.
“Our close communication reflects the strategic nature of Russia-China relations, which are at an unprecedentedly high level,”
Putin told Xi, according to a video on the Kremlin’s Telegram channel.
“We were always together then, and we remain together now.”
Putin, described by Xi on Tuesday as his “old friend”, is the most prominent of a roster of autocrats who have gathered in China this week for a double bill of events designed to showcase the might of the world’s second-biggest economy and geopolitical rival to the US.
At the Victory Day parade on Wednesday, thousands of soldiers are due to march through the streets of the capital in a show of Chinese military might. Rumbling tanks and powerful fighter jets will also be on display for the event, which is being held to commemorate 80 years since the defeat of Japan in the second world war.
Putin also met Slovakia’s Moscow-friendly prime minister, Robert Fico, the only EU leader in attendance, whom he praised for his country’s “independent” position.
Fico has repeatedly criticised Kyiv and stalled European Union sanctions against Moscow, arguing they put Slovakia’s energy security at risk.
Putin suggested that Bratislava cut off gas supplies to Ukraine.
“Ukraine receives a significant volume of energy resources through its neighbours in eastern Europe. Shut off gas supplies that go in reverse,”
he told Fico.
On Ukraine, Putin said he had never opposed Ukraine’s potential membership of the European Union.
“As for Ukraine’s membership of the EU, we have never objected to this (…) As for Nato, this is another issue.”
The Russian president said he had no intention of attacking Europe.
Putin’s comments on the Russia-China relationship came as the two countries signed a deal that will sharply increase Beijing’s imports of Russian gas over the next 30 years.
Putin and Xi agreed to build the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which will allow the transit of 50bn cubic metres of gas to China each year.
Chinese state media reported on Tuesday that Putin and Xi signed more than 20 bilateral cooperation documents during talks in Beijing.
China also announced it would extend visa-free travel privileges to Russian passport holders, starting from 15 September.
Kim arrived in Beijing for the parade on a specially armoured train, in his first visit to China since 2019. It is also the first time since 1959 that a North Korean leader has attended an international event of this scale.
Kim’s trip comes after a period in which ties between Russia and North Korea have deepened, with Pyongyang sending tens of thousands of troops to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine.
Xi, speaking at the SCO summit on Monday, proposed a “global governance initiative”, the latest in a slew of Chinese “global initiatives” to reshape the world order according to principles favoured by Beijing.
#putin #china #xi #kim #level #ties
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
🔥107🤬59🤯57💯54😢47😱44🙏36❤1