High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, officially launched the negotiations for an EU-Bahrain Strategic Partnership Agreement on 13 July.
This decision further strengthens the robust partnership between the EU and Bahrain, building on the 2022 EU Joint Communication, which outlined a vision for a deeper partnership with the Gulf, and the joint agenda launched by Gulf and European leaders at the 2024 EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Brussels.
High Representative/Vice President Kallas said: “Europe is a reliable partner to the Gulf. The launch of negotiations with Bahrain for a new Strategic Partnership Agreement makes clear we want to deepen our ties. At a time of great instability in the region, partnerships matter more than ever. Once in place, this new framework will bring benefits for both sides and the wider Gulf. In short, the EU and Bahrain will be working much closer in areas of shared interest: common security, stability and trade across our two regions.”
Commissioner Šuica said: “Bahrain is a key partner for the EU. With this Strategic Partnership Agreement, we are opening a bold new chapter – deepening cooperation across a wide range of areas, boosting economic cooperation, resilience, innovation, and delivering shared prosperity. Together, we also look forward to working in trilateral cooperation to advance stability, peace and prosperity across the wider region.”
More information on the EU’s relations with Bahrain are available in the joint statement and a dedicated factsheet.