His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, affirmed the distinguished relations and close cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Italian Republic, highlighting the partnership’s development and growth across all fields, thanks to the care and attention of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the esteemed King of Bahrain. His Highness pointed to the mutual keenness between the two countries to advance levels of cooperation, coordination, and bilateral partnership towards broader horizons in various fields that contribute to growth and prosperity for both friendly nations and peoples.

This came during His Royal Highness’s meeting, attended by His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Minister of the Royal Court, Dr. Abdullatif Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy, and several senior officials, with Her Excellency Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of the friendly Italian Republic, as part of His Highness’s official visit to the Vatican City and the Italian Republic.

His Highness expressed pride in the advanced levels reached by Bahraini-Italian relations under the joint agreements between the two friendly countries, emphasizing the importance of continuing to build on achievements and strengthening the strategic partnership on all levels to create more promising opportunities to achieve shared aspirations and goals.

The Crown Prince and Prime Minister also highlighted Italy’s role in enhancing security and peace regionally and globally, noting that the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, continues its efforts based on spreading peace and promoting values of tolerance, coexistence, and dialogue among civilizations, cultures, and religions.

His Highness stressed the role of agreements, memoranda of understanding, and declarations to be signed during this visit, which will support efforts to advance bilateral relations towards promising horizons of cooperation and enhance distinguished partnerships benefiting both sides.

In the presence of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister and the Italian Prime Minister, a strategic cooperation and investment partnership was signed between Bahrain’s Ministry of Finance and National Economy and Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy. The agreement was signed by Bahrain’s Minister of Finance and National Economy Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and Italy’s Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso.

During the official visit, the following announcements were made:

    • Cooperation in space sciences, technologies, and applications between the Bahrain Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency.
    • Enhancing cooperation and developing customs work mechanisms, customs control, and protecting customs chains between Bahrain Customs Affairs and the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency.

    The official visit also witnessed the signing of:

    • A framework cooperation agreement between Mumtalakat Holding Company of Bahrain and Invest Industrial Company for investment cooperation, signed by Mumtalakat’s CEO Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and Invest Industrial’s Chairman Andrea Bonomi.
    • An agreement between Bahrain National Bank and Italy’s BPM Bank on bilateral banking partnership in trade and investment, signed by Bahrain National Bank’s Chairwoman Hala Yateem and BPM Bank’s Chairman Massimo Tononi.
    • An agreement of the Italian-Bahraini Business Council to enhance cooperation and develop commercial partnerships, signed by the Bahraini co-chair Khalid Al Zayani and Italian co-chair Ignazio Moncada.

The two sides reviewed the strong and distinguished relations and ways to consolidate them across all fields, alongside the latest regional and international developments and issues of mutual interest.

For her part, Her Excellency Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of the friendly Italian Republic, praised the leadership role of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in promoting cooperation, stability, and peace in the region and the world, welcoming the visit of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, which reflects the mutual keenness to strengthen Bahraini-Italian relations to achieve shared goals and aspirations.