PH, Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs Officials Meet
MANAMA 06 December 2018 – A delegation of Philippine government officials, led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola and Ambassador to Manama Alfonso A. Ver, met with Bahrain’s key Foreign Affairs officials led by Undersecretary for International Affairs Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa to discuss common issues for Bahrain and the Philippines on 04 November 2018.
Some of the issues discussed include Bahrain’s promotion to Tier 1 Classification by the US State Department’s 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report, the two country’s active and leading participation in the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) that include programs that realize the objectives of the GCM such as the Flexi Visa Program, the Philippines and Bahrain’s recent win during the Human Rights Council Elections, as well as the Philippine hosting of the 1st High Joint Commission Meeting in January 2019 in Manila.
Dr. Shaikh Abdulla welcomed Undersecretary Arriola and her delegation and commended the “close, dynamic, and ever-growing relations” between the two countries.
She expressed appreciation for Bahrain’s hospitality and the arrangements for her and the delegation, and congratulated Bahrain for its initiatives that led to its Tier 1 Classification by the US State Department’s 2018 TIP Report.
Undersecretary Arriola also lauded the efforts of the Bahraini Government for implementing programs that are geared towards improving the conditions of migrants, specifically for providing a clear pathway to regularization of many migrants through the Labor Market Regulatory Authority’s Flexible Visa Program. She also reiterated the Philippine commitment to host the 1st High Joint Commission Meeting in Manila, Philippines and proposed to hold the meeting in January 2019.
Shaikh Abdulla stated that the Bahraini Government, under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, places great importance on human rights and freedoms, and reiterated Bahrain’s commitment to work with the Philippines to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
Undersecretary Arriola and Shaikh Abdulla both affirmed willingness to continue working closely towards the final adoption and signing of the GCM this December in Marrakech, Morocco.
They also agreed to expand the relations between the two countries to other areas of mutual interest. END
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