More than 500 delegates, including diplomats, security specialists and geopolitical experts, from 50-plus countries will be attending the 20th edition of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Regional Security Summit: The Manama Dialogue 2024 (MD2024), kicking off tonight at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain.
Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani has been confirmed as the keynote speaker this evening opening MD2024 and he is expected to focus on Middle Eastern countries’ ambitions for 2025 and the coming years, both in terms of regional prosperity and security.
In addition, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and UAE diplomatic adviser to the president Dr Anwar Gargash have been confirmed as speakers during the three-day event, which ends on Sunday.
Prior to the keynote this evening, there will be two closed-door sessions, one discussing the human security impacts of conflict, with the other highlighting the enduring challenge of nuclear proliferation.
“This session will explore how multilateral organisations can incentivise the peaceful uses of nuclear power, monitor and identify breaches to nuclear agreements and advance transparency and confidence-building,” said the organisers, in a statement.
Seven plenary sessions have been confirmed for the summit, the first four will take place tomorrow, and the remaining three on Sunday.
The first plenary session taking place tomorrow will be ‘20 Years of Dialogue’, followed by ‘Political and Military Responses to Conflict’, ‘Arab Initiatives for Regional Peace’ and ‘International Approaches to Middle East Security’.
The final plenary sessions on Sunday will discuss the links between global and Middle Eastern security, as well as defence challenges, before concluding with a discussion on regional security co-operation.
IISS executive chairman Dr John Chipman, as well as director-general and chief executive Dr Bastian Giegerich will be moderating the plenary sessions.
This year marks 20 years since the first-ever Manama Dialogue was held, and the first under the leadership of the new IISS-Middle East executive director Air Marshal (Ret’d) Martin ‘Sammy’ Sampson.
“Technology, the international rules-based order and geo-economics and trade are the big three themes that have become more important since we started,” he explained.
“A fourth theme, which has always been an important issue in this region, is energy.”
The IISS will also be highlighting two research reports in time for MD2024 – ‘Navigating Troubled Waters: The Houthis’ Campaign in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden’ as well as a strategic dossier on conflict and turbulence in the Eastern Mediterranean region, which encompasses the Middle East.
The first was released earlier this week and highlights how the Yemen-based group continue to pose a threat to shipping, ports and regional safety.
Last year’s Manama Dialogue drew an audience of more than 75 million people, of which 60m were regional and 15m were international.
IISS MD2023’s keynote was delivered by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
A total of 568 full delegates from 56 countries, attended, with 51 government delegations and 18 full ministers present.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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