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BAHRAIN

tlie Minister of ForeignAffairs
Q: Your Excellency, what
and the Minister of State for
is your background?
Foreign Affairs-in addition
to all the other iniinstries and
My backgroind is business and
Supreme Council for Women
econoinics. I did my masters
that lielped us to cai'iy out this
degree at Strathclyde
task in a veiy successful man-
University in Glasgow, specia-
ner. We had veiy few recom-
lizing in corporate finance and
mendations.
economy. I was teaclmg busi-
ness and adininistration as pazt
Q: In your new position,
tiine while I was in the Minishy
what will be the main
of ForeignAffairs. I was posted
focus?
to London as the Deputy
Ambassador for five years.
Things are moving in the
Tlien I was appointed as
ininistiy aiid now orir Minister
Ainbassador to botl'i Geneva
of Foreign Affairs Shaikh
and Vienna. It is quite an inter-
Khalid Bin Aluned Bin
esting job because you keep
Mohamed AL-KHALIFA
chang'iig from huinan t'ights, to
likes to advance more and
trade (WTO), to intellectual
more with training so as to

propetty (WIPO), to htu'nan-
have diplomats who can face

itarian aid (ICRC), to labour
all kinds of challenges -
relatioi'is (ILO), to Inter-
because the challenges are
Parliamentary Ui'iion (IP{T), to
tliere. We need to encourage a
telecoinmunications (IT{J) , to

new generation to take rip a
development (UNCTAD). It is
diplomatic career. We should
a good experience. In Vienna

also promote Bahrain abroad
yori have the atoinic energy
as we feel that it is something
(IAEA), in addition to {JNIDO
very unportant, to increase
and tlie UN figlitiiig against
howledge about the countty
ciiine and diugs. So, indeed, it
and the existing investment
has been a veiy good
oppoitiinities. Not evei'yone
eXpel'iellCe0
knows about all the things we rance companies because very hot in July andAugust, we
can offer-business, educa- Geneva is veiy well known for have lovely weather frotn
I am very grateful to our
tion, social life, iiwestment its financial services sector. We September to April and we
leadership for my appoinhrient
possibilities, business environ- feel that we can ath'act more of liave a lot of tourism sites that
liere because Geneva is really
ment, etc. We need to talk to them to tlie region and to people can visit - the Bamaini
the capital of multilateral
people about these matters. Bahraiii. Of course, we have museuiri, the Babrain Fort, etc.
diplomacy.
We have already staited to do participated iii Davos iii recent Our Minister of Culture and
so through worksliops for orir years, but in 2008 we had a big Infoi'mation lias devoted a lot of
Q: What is the issue that
ambassadors, but we need to Bal'irain day iii Davos it was led energy to conveit old houses to
has given you the most
conhnue. by His Higluiess the Crown museuins, aiid we really have a
satisfaction?

Pi'ince, and a big companies lot to offer.
Q: For people who would CEOs from Bahrain who paiti-
I think it was the Universal
like to do business in cipated iit tbis event explaining We liave, of course, good hotels
Pei'iodic Review (UPR) becau-
Bahrain what should they all that Bahrain can offer. It was and nice beaclies. In addition to
se it was a hrige challenge -

do? a vcry successful event. tliat, there are the Hawar
something that will place
Islands. So tliere are a lot inter-

Bahraiit iii liistoiy as the fu'st

First, we have good relations We are concentrating on trade estiitg things to see, and nice
counti'y to go tlu'ough this
with Swiss-Arab Cliamber of because we feel tliat tliere are shopping malls. In addition to
exercise. Eveiybody was very
Coirunerce. I personally parti- oppoitunities that we can deve- that, we have tracked a lot of
concentrated on succeeding in
cipated in tlieir business lop fuither. Tourism is another tourists coming from all the
this task. As I told you, I'm vety

events in order to explain facet in which we are investing world to see the Grand Prix

thankful to our leadersliip-His
aborit Bal'naiii. What we need a lot, and tlie iuuriber of visitors Fonnula I Circuit. Up until
Majesty the King Ha+nad Bin
from Geneva is more banks... is increasing year by year. recently it was the only one in
Isa AL-KHALIFA, King of
Of course, we already liave the region, but now tbey are
Bahrain, His Highness Sliaikly
{TBS and other banks. Q: You mention tourism; is building one in Abu Dliabi.
Khalifa Bin Sahnan AL-KHA-
it only regional or from
LIFA, Prime Minister , His
Q: So you want more elsewhere? Leaving the Ambassador'soffi-

Highness Shaikh Salman Bin
Genevan private banks in ce on a hot August day we are
Hamad AL-KHALIFA, Crown
Bahrain? It's not only regional because more and more convinced t1iat
Pace, Her Highiiess Sliaikha
we are attracting toui'ists from Baiirairi is the place to be...
Sabeeka Bint Torahim AL-
It does not necessarily liave to Europe, the Far East and the
KHALIFA, Wife of His
be banks; it can also be insu- United States. Altliougli it is
Majesty the Kiiig of Bahrain,
3 2009 Diva 11
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