BAHRAIN’S premier security summit opens at the Four Seasons Hotel, Bahrain Bay today.
Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto is the keynote speaker at the 17th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Regional Security Summit: The Manama Dialogue 2021.
He will be highlighting his country’s defence agenda to an audience consisting of world leaders, military chiefs and experts.
Indonesia officially assumed presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies for the first time last month, putting recovery from the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic high on next year’s agenda.
The Manama Dialogue, themed ‘Multilateralism and the Middle East’, will run until Sunday. Like last year, the annual event is being held in a hybrid format, in line with the Covid-19 protocols.
Among those attending the summit in-person are US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin and UK National Security Adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove.
Mr Lloyd will speak on the US defence policy in the Middle East tomorrow.
Subsequently, during a plenary on the ‘Gulf and Asia’, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud will discuss the kingdom’s global engagement and regional priorities.
He will be joined by Malaysian Senior Defence Minister Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Sir Stephen.
“More than 40 countries are represented and more than 300 in-person delegates will be meeting to conduct defence diplomacy,” tweeted IISS director and chief executive Dr John Chipman.
Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani along with Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr Fuad Hussain will address on ‘Diplomacy and Deterrence’.
‘Changing Multilaterism and Regional Security’ will be the focus of veteran Arab leaders – Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, his Libyan counterpart Najla El Mangoush and GCC Secretary-General Dr Nayef Al Hajraf.
On Sunday, speakers will address topics pertaining to ‘Conflict Termination in the Wider Region’, ‘Security Dynamics in the Red Sea’ and ‘Militias, Missiles and Nuclear Proliferation’.
Delegates taking part virtually in the summit have been given a unique log-in credential to watch the plenary discussions and participate in the question-and-answer sessions.
Restrictions are in place to ensure social distancing protocols and compulsory use of face masks.
Over the years the summit has seen a participation of 500-plus delegates from around the world.
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