ROME – The Bahraini Ambassador to Italy, H.E. Dr Naser M. Y. Al Belooshi, has underlined the growing importance of commercial and political ties between the Gulf kingdom and Italy in the wake of the archipelago’s longstanding role as a staunch Western ally with British and American bases hosted on its strategic territory.

 Speaking at a meeting with members of Assadakah, the Italo-Arab friendship organisation, and Welcome Association Italy, Dr Belooshi paid tribute to the recent rapprochement with Israel under the Abraham Accords while insisting on the need for a two state solution giving Palestinians an independent state.

 The Ambassador recalled how his country had developed from being the main pearl producer in the Middle East to the first Arab country to extract and export petroleum with recent discoveries of oil and gas in Bahraini waters bolstering Bahrain’s role in the global energy market.

 For many products Italy is the main importer to Bahrain and Bahraini authorities and business owners are keen to invest more in Italy, given that the diversity of Italian production in its economy means it can be considered for the Middle East the second most important European economy after Germany, said the Ambassador.

 The meeting, kindly arranged by Ms Laila Khrais, of Assadakah, climaxed with the presentation of a plaque to the Ambassador in honour of his contribution to Italo-Arab understanding as the first Bahraini ambassador in Italy.

 Dr Belooshi previously was stationed in Washington and Paris. During the meeting Italian Insider editor John Phillips was able to share with the Ambassador some of his memories of his time working as a correspondent based in Manama, the Bahraini capital. 

 jf