Bahrain will establish a permanent diplomatic mission in Beirut, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has said, as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun visited the Gulf state in a bid to reset relations.
President Aoun arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday for a two-day state visit, the latest stop in a wider push to repair and deepen Lebanon's ties with Gulf Arab countries.
Mr Aoun, accompanied by Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, met King Hamad on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral co-operation, particularly in political, economic and cultural sectors, the Lebanese presidency said.
“We look forward to resuming full trade exchange between us,” said Mr Aoun.
In comments reported by the Lebanese presidency and Bahrain’s state media, King Hamad said: “On this occasion, we proudly announce our decision to establish a permanent Bahraini diplomatic mission in Beirut.”
On arrival, Mr Aoun said he was looking forward to “productive meetings” with the leadership on collaboration and to exchange views on regional and international developments.
“Lebanon values its rooted ties with Bahrain … and we are working together in a spirit that serves the interests of our peoples amid the region’s complex challenges,” he said.
Since taking office in January, Mr Aoun has put rebuilding Lebanon’s relationships with Gulf countries at the centre of his foreign policy agenda.
The former army chief, elected after more than two years of presidential vacuum, wasted no time in launching a diplomatic charm offensive. His first overseas trip was to Saudi Arabia. He has also visited the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait.
Mr Rajji had previously called on Bahrain to reopen its embassy in Beirut in an interview with Bahraini daily Al Ayyam. In early July, Bahrain's ambassador to Lebanon, Waheed Mubarak Sayyar, said his country was preparing to do so and that work was under way to appoint a resident ambassador.
Bahrain was among several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, that withdrew their ambassadors from Beirut in October 2021, following remarks by then information minister George Kordahi, who criticised the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen.
His comments triggered a diplomatic crisis, reflecting deeper Gulf concerns over Iran’s growing influence in Lebanon through Hezbollah, the powerful Shiite militia that wields military and political power.
Relations remained strained for years. But Gulf engagement has gradually resumed in the aftermath of the war between Hezbollah and Israel, which concluded in November.
The Iran-backed group was severely weakened by the conflict. Israel’s military campaign destroyed much of Hezbollah’s infrastructure, infiltrated its security network and eliminated the group’s leadership and senior commanders.
Lebanon now is under international pressure to disarm Hezbollah. The US ties reconstruction aid and a halt to Israeli army operations to the group's full disarmament around the country.
Battered by war and economic collapse, Lebanon is in urgent need of Arab and international support to begin reconstruction and revive its shattered economy.
As part of the broader thaw, the UAE and Kuwait have lifted travel bans on Lebanon, allowing their citizens to return after years of absence.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon have agreed to examine obstacles preventing the resumption of Lebanese exports to the kingdom and are exploring the possibility of restoring travel access for Saudi citizens to Beirut.
'Midnights'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Taylor%20Swift%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Republic%20Records%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
