His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International, and Energy Studies “Derasat”, affirmed the Center’s continued scientific, intellectual, and knowledge-based initiatives as a leading research institution that contributes with studies and analyses supporting decision-making and serving the comprehensive development journey under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the esteemed King of the country, may God protect him, and with the support and follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may God protect him.

This came during His Excellency’s chairing of the first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the “Derasat” Center for this year, attended by Board members Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Asiri, Sheikh Fahad bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, Dr. Khalifa bin Ali Al Fadel, Dr. Sheikha Muneera bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, and Ms. Maha Abdulhamid Mufeez, along with Dr. Hamad Ibrahim Al Abdullah, Executive Director of the Center, at the Center’s headquarters in Awali.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of “Derasat” extended the highest congratulations and blessings to His Majesty the King, may God protect him, and to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may God protect him, on the occasion of the upcoming Eid Al-Fitr, praying to Almighty God to return it upon the Bahraini people, the Arab and Islamic nations, and the world with goodness, peace, and prosperity.

He also expressed his appreciation for the contributions of Bahraini youth of both genders and their scientific, intellectual, and research innovations, on the occasion of their National Day on March 25 of each year. He praised their contributions in supporting the comprehensive and sustainable development process under the royal patronage and government directions, and the initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Affairs and Youth Affairs and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports.

The Board of Trustees of “Derasat” reviewed the Center’s activities and events during the first quarter of the current year, highlighting its achievements in preparing studies, research, and strategic analyses; organizing workshops, seminars, forums, and intellectual dialogues; and participating in regional and international forums, which have enhanced its position as a platform for strategic research and analysis. The Center’s media presence in local and international newspapers and its other research contributions were also discussed, in addition to the approval of the financial report for the fiscal year 2024.

The Board praised the progress in research partnerships with national and international think tanks, academic, and scientific institutions, noting the fruitful cooperation with Egyptian think tanks within the framework of the resolutions of the Bahrain-Egypt Joint Governmental Committee. This includes meetings with the Egyptian Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Center, the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, the World Future Studies Forum, and coordination with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, among other forms of cooperation with Arab and international institutions and UN organizations in support of research, intellectual, and sustainable development work.

The Board also highlighted the importance of specialized intellectual dialogues organized by the Center on vital topics such as energy, open science, foreign encyclopedias, and the role of guidance in supporting the professional development of Bahraini youth. It emphasized the importance of developing innovative research solutions in the sustainable energy sector and leveraging technology and innovation in the development of future research.

The establishment of the “Scientific Research Committee in the Field of Cybersecurity” was also noted, as a qualitative step aimed at developing specialized studies in cybersecurity. This will be achieved by leveraging the expertise of researchers and academics in cooperation with the National Cybersecurity Center, the Nasser Scientific and Technological Center, the University of Bahrain, the Arabian Gulf University, and Bahrain Polytechnic—within an integrated research environment that contributes to enhancing information security and addressing cyber challenges.

His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa reaffirmed the Center’s continued pursuit of its scientific initiatives and intellectual and research projects, relying on human capital, partnerships, and the exchange of expertise with national, Arab, and international institutions. He emphasized the importance of keeping pace with regional and global developments, thereby reinforcing the Center’s pioneering role in scientific research and supporting sustainable development goals in alignment with Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.