Bahrain appoints four ambassadors to Europe

Friday, Aug 21, 2015

Manama: King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa has appointed four new ambassadors, including one woman, to European countries.

Shaikh Fawaz Bin Mohammad Al Khalifa was appointed as Head of the Bahraini Diplomatic Mission to the United Kingdom, while Dr Mohammad Abdul Ghaffar Abdullah was appointed as Head of the Bahraini Diplomatic Mission to the French Republic.

Dr Bahia Jawad Al Jishi was appointed as Head of the Bahrain Diplomatic Mission to the Kingdom of Belgium and Ahmad Abdul Rahman Al Saati as Head of the Bahraini Diplomatic Mission to the Russian Federation Republic.

Shaikh Fawaz was head of the General Organisation for Youth and Sports (GOYS) before becoming President of the Information Affairs Authority (IAA). In December 2012, he was appointed as state minister for telecommunication.

Abdul Gaffar served as Bahrain’s ambassador to the US before becoming the minister of information and the state minister for foreign affairs. He was later appointed as adviser to King Hamad for diplomatic affairs and chairman of the Bahrain Centre for Strategic and International Studies and Energy.

Bahiya, who holds a PhD in education and educational media from the University of Boston and a Master in Middle East Studies from the University of London, has been heavily involved in Bahraini politics.

In 2000, she was a member of the committee that drafted the National Action Charter and afterwards was appointed as member of the Shura Council, the upper house of the bicameral parliament, and had great influence as Second Deputy Chairperson. She is also known for being an advocate for women and family rights. Brussels is her first appointment as ambassador.

Al Saati is a former parliamentarian who was elected to the Council of Representatives as an independent candidate in the 2011 by-elections. His efforts included a drive to overcome differences caused by the dramatic events that hit the country in 2011 and boost national unity.

Bahrain has had women ambassadors in the US where Huda Nonoo became the first Jewish diplomat to head an Arab diplomatic mission, as well as in France, United Kingdom, and China.

By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief