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BAHRAIN

Interview with His Excellency
Mr. Abdulla Abdullatif Abdulla

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary,Permanent
Mission of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations Office

and Specialized Institutions in Geneva

The Ambassador is There was a lot of
a dedicated man development in tenns
and, by the time this ofliumanrights issues,
interview is publis- the empowennent of
hed, His Excellency women and lately we
will be ranking even have accomplished
higher-as some challenging
Undersecretary in 1 a b o u r - m a r k e t
the Ministry of refoims.
Foreign Affairs for
the Kingdom of Recently, we
Bahrain. We establislied a long-
understand why he tenn economic
was given this strategy for Bahrain
promotion because 2030 (The Economic
he is not only an Vision 2030 for
excellent diplomat, Babrain). We are very
hard working and keen that by 2030 the
generous, but he is income of each
also very good at Bahraini household
promoting his will be at least double
country. Among the what it is now iii real
Gulf States, Bahrain tei'iris. We are hying to
is known to be a diversify our economy
tional organizations. It lias been LIFA, King of Babrain, His
pleasant place to live, an basically to be more proactive,
a very good expei'ience, dealing Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin
open society and a place and we always feel that our
particulai'ly with human rights Sahnan AL-KHALIFA, Piiine
where women have equal main asset is our people. Thus,
issues. Since I an'ived, with the Minister and His Highness
rights with men. Here, you we are working to attract
discrediting of the Human Sliaikh Salman Biii HainadAL-
will find women working in Rights Coinmission and tlie KHALIFA, Crown Pi'ince - foreign ii'iveshnent in high-
all professions. It is far tecli, in cominunications, iii
establishinent of the Human were keen that we should do
from the clich6s that banking, factories, etc., and to
Rights Corincil, we liad a lot of our uhnost and go through this
many might hold about concentrate on igli-wage jobs.
work to do. We prepared our- process. We liad a veiy success-
the Middle East. We have had very good econo-
selves to become a Member of ful {JPR process and we beca-
inic growfl'i over the last five to
the Hrunan Rights Council, and me a model.
It's not often we meet a six years, wlffch has been sus-
unfoitunately the lots were not
man who is as proud of with us. We have a lot of good stories to tainable at around 6%.
his country as His tell the world about the positive
Excellency. Before giving As you know, the oil produc-
We only had one tei'in of one human rights development that
him the floor, the Diva tion of Bal'irain is veiy limited,
year as a Member of tlie is taking place in Babrain. bl
team wanted to wish him so we have decided to diversify
Human Rights Council. addition to that, Her Highness
the very best of success in our economy-aluminium,

Honestly, it was a histoi'ical Shaikha Sabeeka Bint Torahim
his new endeavours. We petrocheinicals, etc. We have
event. Then by establishiiig the AL-KHALIFA, Wife of His
are quite sure that he will new body, there was a new Majesty the King of Bahrain, an economic development

continue putting Bahrain mechanism-the Universal has been working very hard to board chaired by His Highness
on the world map! the Crown Prince.
Periodic Review (UPR). We empower women in all aspects
were chosen to be the first one of life-economically, socially,
Q: First of all, your Tlie Pi'iine A/Iinister was here in
to go through that process, so politically, etc.
Excellency, congratula- Genem receiving a prize from
we had lot of work to do.
tions on your new posi- the United Nations Human
We were tl'ie fu'st countiy in the
tion. Setklements Programme (UN-
hi theory, matters are clear, but Arab and Islamic world to
HABITAT) for housing deve-
in practice things are not nominate a woman as the
Thank you so mucli. I will be lopment. His Highness the
always that easy. We worked President of the General
leaving Geneva after almost Crown Prince was here too
very hard and oir leadership iii Assembly and we liave two
four years where I have been addressing tlie Intemational
Balmain-His Majesty tlie women in the Govenunent...
dealing with all of the intei'na- Laborir Organization. As you
King Hamad Bin IsaAL-KHA-
3 2009 Diva 9
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