THE visit of His Highness the Amir to Bahrain was the third of his Gulf tour. It was certainly as blessed as the previous two visits, and reveals the depth of relations between Kuwait and other member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which is built on mutual respect, love, and a single destiny.
This visit represented an opportunity to put the Head of State in front of the changes that Bahrain has witnessed, among other similar ones, from economic openness to enhancing the movement of investments in the region, and working to diversify sources of income, so that oil is not the strategic commodity that these countries rely on.
Over the past three decades, Manama has worked on increasing opportunities in all fields, and has encouraged social openness, which is the backbone of any successful economy.
It has become the focus of international rating agencies, whose indicators reveal that its rating has risen to levels that confirm it has emerged from the bottleneck in terms of the absolute dependence on oil.
There is no doubt that Bahrain is one of the countries that has worked for 20 years to diversify its sources of income based on its 2030 vision, and has taken important steps in doing so.
Its dependence on hydrocarbons has decreased, especially in terms of gross domestic product, exports, and financial revenues, so that it will not face any economic problems in the future that will hinder it and affect the social aspect.
It has promoted the tourism sector by opening itself to the world, facilitating entry into and exit from the country, granting instant visitation facilities, and encouraging investment in all sectors.
What it achieved 15 years ago in the context of its economic vision has begun to be translated today through well-thought-out laws that anticipate the future. Now it is bearing fruit.
From this standpoint, His Highness’s visit to Manama was also suitable to find out what can be achieved in Kuwait. This is due to the fact that the similarity of the characteristics of the societies of Bahrain and Kuwait gives the decision-maker the ability to compare in realistic circumstances.
How can we plan for a collaborative future between the two nations in line with the Gulf vision upon which the Gulf Cooperation Council was founded? This vision aims to establish a crucial strategic partnership that is economically, politically, and socially more adaptable.
The changes observed in Gulf countries over the past three decades, particularly in the advancement of local economies, have been centered on a single notion - the genuine welfare of citizens. This stands in contrast to the superficial progress driven by outdated legislation, which stifles individual initiative under the pretext of entitlement, without considering future implications.
This also happened in Kuwait when parliamentarians imposed false welfare laws that increased the state’s financial deficit, curbed ambitions, and strengthened the spirit of dependence in society.
On the other hand, Bahrain’s steps in this regard were consistent by strengthening individual initiative in an effort to make the citizens self-reliant in exercising their economic freedom based on the principle that an individual is the first partner in the renaissance of the state.
Blessed was the visit of His Highness the Amir to Bahrain, an ambitious and pioneering kingdom in many fields. It was also an opportunity to present the Head of State to the conditions that can be mimicked in Kuwait so that it can become a reliable partner in the Gulf economic integration process.
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
