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Parliament Speaker and parliamentary delegation head Ahmed Al Musallam underscored Bahrain’s commitment to inclusive social development, economic empowerment, and the protection of vulnerable groups
He delivered Bahrain’s national address at the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, under the theme ‘Parliamentary action for social development and justice.’
In his remarks, the Speaker conveyed the greetings and best wishes of His Majesty King Hamad to the Assembly and its participants.
He emphasised that Bahrain, under the leadership of the King and with the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, remains dedicated to supporting those most in need of social protection and ensuring their active participation in national development.
Mr Al Musallam expressed Bahrain’s pride in the United Nations General Assembly’s declaration of January 28 as the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence, adopted in response to a Bahraini initiative. He said the designation reflects the civilisational vision of His Majesty and Bahrain’s international role in promoting tolerance and peaceful living.
He noted that Bahraini citizens benefit from access to a wide range of services, including education, healthcare, and social and legal protection. This is supported by national programmes that provide financial aid to Bahraini families, in line with the Social Security Law, which serves as a cornerstone for raising living standards and assisting vulnerable groups.
The Speaker highlighted the kingdom’s strong commitment to inclusion, particularly for persons with disabilities. He said legislation and initiatives ensure their integration into all aspects of life, granting them access to rehabilitation, care, rights, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to social development.
He highlighted national strategies to combat poverty and support low-income families, including the launch of the Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Award for Productive Families by HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty and Supreme Council for Women (SCW) president.
He further noted the establishment of the Family Microfinance House (FMH), which provides microfinance loans to low-income groups, and the launch of a BD100 million SME Development Fund to support the growth of small and medium enterprises, identified as a pillar of modern economies.
Mr Al Musallam noted that Bahrain upholds fair labour practices, wage protection, and respect for workers’ rights, while also promoting youth engagement, entrepreneurship, and equitable access to education, technology, and public services.
He also highlighted Bahrain’s inclusive health governance model, which offers free services to citizens and comprehensive care to residents, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3.
On housing, he highlighted that the Housing and Urban Planning Ministry continues to provide sustainable solutions for Bahraini citizens, with priority given to low-income groups. Bahrain, he said, is among the few countries globally to offer this scale of housing services, having delivered nearly 130,000 to date.
Mr Al Musallam also emphasised the King’s directives to construct 50,000 new housing units during 2025-2026, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 11.
The Speaker commended the efforts of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for hosting the IPU Assembly and congratulated Senate of the Oliy Majlis (Supreme Assembly) Chairperson of Uzbekistan Tanzila Norbaeva, on her election as president of the 150th Assembly.
He emphasised that the IPU’s discussion on social development and justice underscores the responsibility of parliaments to advance the social dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals.
He expressed hope that the outcomes of the Assembly would contribute to a unified parliamentary vision ahead of the upcoming World Summit for Social Development, set to take place in Qatar in November.
The Speaker underscored the importance of addressing ongoing global challenges, particularly the continued suffering of the Palestinian people in the absence of international justice and accountability.
He reaffirmed Bahrain’s position in supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, rejecting displacement and settlement expansion, and backing the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and relevant international resolutions.
Mr Al Musallam also met Oman’s Shura Council Chairman Shaikh Khalid bin Hilal Al Mawali.
He highlighted the strong Bahrain-Oman relations, supported by the King and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman.
The Speaker also met Mazhilis Chairman of Kazakhstan Parliament Yerlan Koshanov and emphasised the importance of enhancing bilateral ties in parliamentary, political and economic domains.
He also expressed the kingdom’s interest in advancing parliamentary co-operation and aligning positions at Asian and international forums, particularly in economy and energy.
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