At a time when the region is passing through one of its critical periods, Bahrain has opened its doors to its fellow citizens, reaffirming that it is not merely a country that hosts Gulf co-operation activities, but a home where brothers come together, visions converge and determination to continue the journey of co-operation and integration is renewed.
Amid the rapid developments and major changes that have swept the region over the past months of 2026, the year in which Bahrain holds the current presidency of the Gulf Co-operation Council, the kingdom has continued to advance GCC co-operation. It draws on deep ties of affection binding it to its brethren and on a firm belief that the GCC is not merely a regional organisation, but an expression of brotherhood and a shared destiny among the peoples of the Arabian Gulf.
The region has gone through a difficult period of tensions this year that Bahrain played no role in causing. Yet, it has demonstrated that crises only strengthen the bonds between brothers and reinforce the conviction that the strength of the Gulf rests on its unity, and that the history, ties, interests and shared destiny of its peoples are greater than any transient circumstance.
Against this backdrop, Bahrain’s hosting of the ‘Made in GCC’ Forum and Exhibition, held under the gracious patronage of His Majesty King Hamad, takes on significance that extends beyond the economic and industrial event itself. It sends a clear Gulf-wide message that integration is one of the most important pillars of strength and stability, and that building a cohesive GCC economy begins with strengthening production capacity, opening markets, integrating industries and securing supply chains.
As Industry and Commerce Minister Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro explained to me, the initiative aims to strengthen the GCC footprint in industrial fields and move the region from a pattern of consumption towards production. At its core, this vision addresses one of the most important challenges facing the economies of the GCC countries, while opening broader horizons for co-operation and partnership between the public and private sectors.
Notably, ‘Made in GCC’ comes amid extensive GCC activities hosted by Bahrain, including meetings of ministers of petroleum and energy, electricity and water and industry and commerce, as well as a meeting of the Federation of GCC Chambers. These are in addition to a series of meetings and gatherings addressing issues that directly affect the life of every Gulf citizen.
From emergency plans for petroleum products to ensuring continuity of electricity supplies, facilitating supply chains and promoting food security, one fact is becoming increasingly obvious: as the GCC countries face the changes around them, they recognise that their economic and development security, as well as their national resources depend increasingly on greater co-ordination, integration and joint action.
Against this backdrop of comprehensive GCC co-operation, the words of Saudi Energy Minister His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during his session at the ‘Made in GCC’ Forum reflected the depth of ties between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
When he spoke of his close ties with Bahrain and its people, including family connections, and recalled the poem by the late Ghazi Al Gosaibi on the occasion of the opening of the causeway linking the two countries, he was speaking not merely of a bridge of concrete and steel, but of a bridge of affection built over centuries of strong relations, history, shared interests and human bonds.
It was as though Al Gosaibi’s words had returned today to say that the distance between Riyadh and Manama was never merely a stretch of sea, but a path of affection:
“A path of love... not a path of stone
That carried the oases to the islands.”
How fitting that Bahrain should evoke these meanings as it welcomes its fellow Gulf citizens to a conference bringing together industry, commerce, energy and the economy, reaffirming that the bridges linking the GCC countries are not merely physical structures but bridges of shared interests, common will and a shared destiny.
This is precisely where the image of Bahrain, the Pearl of the Gulf, comes into focus. Bahrain, which throughout its history has been a place of meeting, communication and openness, is demonstrating today that its standing in the Gulf is based not simply on hosting events but on its ability to bring brothers together around their common concerns, turning meetings into dialogue, dialogue into co-ordination and co-ordination into action.
From ‘Made in GCC’ to the various Gulf meetings and gatherings held in the kingdom, the message is clear: the Gulf is stronger when it works together and better able to protect its achievements when its capabilities are integrated.
Bahrain will continue to open its arms to its brothers, strengthen its role in bringing the Gulf voice together, advance the path of co-operation and build a shared vision that safeguards the resources and achievements of the GCC. In doing so, it carries forward the legacy of the leaders who believed from the outset that the strength of the Gulf lies in its unity, and that its future can only be built by all its people together.
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