His Majesty King Hamad has allocated 163,300 sq m to expand the Frontline Headquarters of the Joint Peninsula Shield Force, in recognition of its pivotal role.

His Majesty, incumbent president of the GCC session, ordered the land to be allocated out of keenness on bolstering joint collective defence, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The Royal initiative marked the official opening of the headquarters.

The inaugural ceremony was held under the patronage of Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and other GCC defence ministers.

Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud unveiled the memorial plaque signalling the official opening of the new facility.

Peninsula Shield Force Commander Major-General Mutlaq bin Salim Al Azema'a hailed the opening of the new headquarters, describing it as a milestone for GCC security.

He stressed the pivotal role of the joint Peninsula Shield Force in answering the call of duty.

He also paid tribute to GCC leaders for establishing the joint forces and standing united to defend Bahrain and foil treacherous conspiracies.

The GCC defence ministers toured different sections and were updated on the new military milestone.

They then toured the mobile headquarters of the force and were briefed on mobilisation readiness, modern field technologies and military edge.

Minister of State for Defence Affairs Lieutenant-General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa hailed the inauguration of the new premises which builds on other landmark GCC achievements.

He stressed the importance of the added-valued milestone in bolstering the collective security of the GCC member states, protecting their achievements and resources.

"The frontline headquarters symbolises unity and joint military work between the armed forces of the GCC member states," he said.

Lt-Gen Dr Shaikh Mohammed stressed the keenness of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) on building bridges and consolidating co-ordination with GCC member states.

Meanwhile, the minister and his GCC counterparts attended a ceremony during which the foundation stone was laid for the Naval Co-ordination Centre for Maritime Security at the Royal Bahrain Naval Force.

Lt-Gen Dr Shaikh Mohammed addressed the ceremony, stressing the strategic importance of the new centre in unifying concepts, building capabilities and enforcing collective security.

He affirmed the pivotal role of the cutting-edge centre in protecting the security and stability of the Arabian Gulf territorial waters, defending the naval routes and exchanging data.

The ceremony was attended by GCC Secretary-General Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani, BDF Chief of Staff Major General Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, senior BDF officers and other delegations. - TradeArabia News Service