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Germany and Bahrain: Exchange on regional developments in the Middle East
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas met his Bahraini counterpart Abdul Latif bin Rashid al-Zayani in Berlin, © Xander Heinl/photothek.de
On 11 August, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas met his Bahraini counterpart Abdul Latif bin Rashid al-Zayani in Berlin. The main topics on the agenda were regional issues such as the Yemen conflict and the normalisation of relations between Bahrain and Israel.
Focus on the Yemen conflict
The humanitarian situation in Yemen remains dramatic and the country has been hit by famine. According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, more than 80% of the population, that is more than 20 million Yemenites, need humanitarian assistance and protection. Women and children have been hit hardest. Germany is consulting on an ongoing basis with international partners such as Bahrain on how this conflict can finally be resolved after more than six years.
Of course, Yemen and the catastrophic humanitarian impact that the conflict has on the country and its people is on our mind. Germany is one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid for Yemen. We are glad that with Hans Grundberg a new UN Special Envoy for Yemen has been appointed.
In addition to the UN efforts, a strong commitment from regional partners such as the Gulf Cooperation Council and its member states such as Bahrain is, Germany firmly believes, absolutely necessary in order to end the conflict. Both Germany and Bahrain welcome the appointment of Hans Grundberg as the new Special Envoy for Yemen. Germany assures to actively support Grundberg’s efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Normalisation of relations between Bahrain and Israel
We welcome the rapprochement between Arab states and Israel and greatly appreciate the role that Bahrain played in this regard.
Another key focus of the talks was the normalisation of relations between Bahrain and Israel. Germany welcomed the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries last year as an important step towards peace in the region. Khaled Yousef al-Jalahmah was officially appointed by Bahrain this year as the country’s first ambassador to Israel. We wish him every success with his historic mission. Germany is willing to assist Bahrain at any time in shaping its future bilateral relations with Israel.