Bahrain will host the prestigious 'Global and Homeland Security Forum and Exhibition' in February next year, it was revealed.

Interior Minister Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa announced the kingdom will organise the two-day forum and exhibition from February 24 in association with the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (Rusi) and the Gulf Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

The institute leads in security and defence services through its headquarters in London and offices in the Gulf. The Gulf Centre is considered one of the best organisations concerned with GCC-related issues and affairs.

The announcement came during a meeting between the Interior Minister, Rusi head Prof Michael Clark, British Ambassador Jamie Bowden, International Security Studies at RUSI director Dr Jonathan Eyal and Gulf Centre for Political and Strategic Studies president Dr Omar Al Hassan.

It was attended by Public Security chief Major General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Interior Ministry Court general director Colonel Riyadh Eid Abdullah and director of police media Major Mohammed bin Daina.

The minister said the forum was part of the success of the Middle East-Homeland and Global Security Forum hosted in Bahrain last November with huge regional and international participation.

He said that it was part of the essentiality of security in His Majesty King Hamad's reforms project, directives and supervision of the government and the Interior Minister's keenness to connect with those in charge of security affairs in governments, authorities and organisations through exchange of visits and specialised conventions and seminars to review important security issues that represent the contemporary challenges in the homeland and at the global level.

The forum was held to shed light on homeland security and its challenges in relations to regional and global developments to co-ordinate with homeland security policies that could be integrated with the global security policies to reach out to comprehensive perspectives to combat homeland and cross borders threats.

The forum represented a great opportunity to showcase the Interior Ministry's high-tech and advanced security systems that were appreciated by participants and visitors.

Following the great accomplishments of the forum, the ministry is determined to continue holding it in the coming years to meet the contemporary security development and challenges in this ever-changing world.

The minister said that the next forum would discuss important security issues with the participation of local, regional and international security experts from public and private sector.

He highlighted that in addition to the forum, one-of-its-kind in the Middle East exhibition on borders' security would be organised with the aim to reinforce the practical aspects to enhance border security and the latest technologies in this regards.

The minister concluded by highlighting the ministry's keenness to provide the required facilities to ensure the success of the upcoming forum and hoped for fruitful results that would reflect to more developments in Bahrain.

The forum was a remarkable success with the participation of 600 delegates representing 82 countries and five international organisations and the presence of 120 government officials and experts from security agencies.

They reviewed topics listed in its agenda, especially subjects concerning security strategies in developed countries and their connections with the Middle East as well as the manipulation of information technology by terror organisations and security protection systems to secure vital public utilities such as financial organisations, power plants, oil industry, marine shipments, airports and protection of large-scale events.

The committee of representatives from the Interior M