A united and stable Gulf is crucial to enhance its development, Bahrain’s Premier said yesterday (January 18).

His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa affirmed that achieving peace, security and stability requires international will, understanding and strategic partnership to thwart all potential threats, and shift focus to development, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

“In the region, we want a secure and stable Gulf whose countries are united to enhance progress and development, face challenges, and be supportive of international organisations to help them achieve their noble human message,” he said.

He made these remarks as he received at the Gudaibiya Palace UN Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) Director General Li Yong, who is in the kingdom to take part in the First International Entrepreneurs Investment Forum 2014, being held under the Premier's patronage.

The Premier asserted that the road to peace and prosperity is not well-paved, and needs concerted international efforts so that countries of the region focus on development, whose fruits are reaped by their peoples, instead of being distracted by conflicts and combating terrorism, which, he said, may affect those countries' steady steps towards achieving development goals.

“The experiences of the region, in particular, and the world, in general, have proved that conflicts and terrorism are the main reasons behind the delay of development projects and their completion. The international community should direct its potential towards more fruitful co-operation to achieve a more prosperous world,” he said.

The Premier stressed that the world is facing challenges of instability - which is prevailing in many Arab countries - as well as economic difficulties that require joint international efforts to serve development goals, especially the industrial ones through which decent living can be ensured for peoples.

He underscored the government's constant keenness in consolidating co-operation and co-ordination with Unido to support its plans aiming to achieve sustainable development.

He praised the crucial role played by the organisation in backing the efforts of developing countries and supporting their industrial development and modernisation, lauding its efforts in providing experts and support for the kingdom's various projects and programmes.

Yong hailed the key role played by the government, led by the Premier, in supporting UN industrial projects.

He asserted that UN efforts are focused on achieving peace and stability by promoting the culture of understanding and tolerance to pave the way for development that reflects on peoples' standards of living. - TradeArabia News Service