Kingdom of Bahrain

The first ever United Nations Global Youth Leadership Summit has been highlighted today by “Al Ayam Newspaper”. The invitation sent to HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa by SG Kofi Annan had the prime focus of this coverage. It is worth mentioning that this important summit is organized by the United Nations New York Office of Sport for Development and Peace in New York, 29-31 October 2006. The Summit entitled, “Accelerating the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and Peace”, will bring together youth leaders - one young male and one young female between the ages of 18 and 30 - from the 192 Member States of the United Nations. This is a historic event and has the full support of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, who will moderate the Inter-Generational Dialogue between the youth and Heads of State and Government of countries that had hosted regional youth leadership summits.

UN Offices in Bahrain, in collaboration with Ministries of Information and Foreign Affairs organized for a live broadcast of the assumption of presidency of the UN Assembly’s 61st session by the Kingdom of Bahrain. The pictures are from the live broadcasting gathering that took place at the Regency Intercontinental in Manama, which was attended by government officials, ambassadors, dignitaries and media people.
Statement of Mr. Sayed Aqa, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bahrain on the Occasion of the Assumption of Presidency of the UN General Assembly by the Kingdom of Bahrain given on September 12, 2006 in English and Arabic.

The Bahrain Institute for Political (BIPD) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a technical cooperation document on 7 September 2006 at the UN House. Under this technical cooperation project document, UNDP will be supporting the Kingdom of Bahrain in its political reform process through the cooperation with the Bahrain Institute for Political Development (BIPD) which is one of the main actors in new national effort at creating a democratic society. UNDP will support the programmes and professional capacities of the BIPD to play its functions and create mechanisms for partnerships with other international organizations, assisting in civic education, training future leaders and elected representatives, and raising awareness of and advocating for the human rights agenda. The cooperation project document takes a long-term approach to democratic governance and as such seeks to affect the following outcomes: a culture of democracy with popular understanding and appreciation of democratic values; enhanced practical knowledge of governance norms and standards, particularly on Human Rights; and parliamentary strengthening that produces quality legislation and effective oversight skills to support the governance reform process. The BIPD/UNDP project will employ a partnership strategy and use innovative means of engaging national stakeholders including the civil society in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating activities and progress towards results.
The BIPD/UNDP project will commence its activities in three phases: the immediate term (first six months); the medium term (months seven through 18); and the long term (months 19 through 30th ). The priorities for the immediate-term period will be as follows: 1) Support the BIPD in terms of its institutional planning and policy expertise; 2) convene democratic dialogue roundtables on issues of relevance to the current policy and political reform debates and 3) focus on the opportunities and needs of the population at large and the political actors associated with the upcoming elections in Bahrain (e.g., activities related to civic education, women’s role in political processes, etc.).
The project will achieve three main outputs at the end of its 2.5 year duration. I) Organizing civic education programmes that promote understanding at both the policy and citizen levels of political processes, and that enhance dialogue. 2) Prepare technical reports and International Conferences on Human Rights and political development. 3) Organize and implement capacity-building programmes for strengthening BIPD’s cadre including creation of a data-base.
Total UNDP resources for this technical cooperation project is currently estimated at US$ 1,308,615.000 (BD 492,000).

Meeting with a delegation of handicapped, who wanted to denounce the atrocities in Lebanon, in which disabled are being killed indiscriminately.

Role of UN in ending Israeli aggression against Lebanon was highlighted yesterday at a meeting with the press as part of relationship and confidence building measures.

08 August, 2006;

UNCT Bahrain meeting representatives of 40 local NGOs on the UN efforts in the current Lebanon crises at the UN House.

31 July, 2006;

Following the launch of the “Flash Appeal for $165 million for Lebanon”, the office of the RC contacted the Bahraini National Committee for Support of Lebanese People, and offered to help facilitating the relief to be sent as part of the “Appeal” made by the UN. UNDP office coordinated with UNDP CO of Syria, Lebanon and WFP to assist in sending the three consignments of food, medicine, mattresses, generators and other essential supplies totaling to almost 50 metric tones. This has further improved the UN relations with the National Committee that includes representatives of government and NGOs. The UN involvement in assisting with the delivery of aid from the people of Bahrain to Lebanon was well covered in the local print and electronic media. A visit for WFP regional office in Dubai was also organized that met with government officials and the media.

National Drug committees 1st meeting marks the start of the National Drug Control Project with UNDP Bahrain.

15 May, 2006;

UNDP consultant Dr. Wolf Kirsten has met with the Minister of Health on Sunday 14 May 2006 as part of his consultation and training mission to the Ministry of Health. The mission is part of the ongoing “Non-communicable Diseases’ project” being implemented in collaboration with Ministry of Health. The main aim of Dr. Kirsten‘s mission is to advise and assist “Health Education Section” on establishing a national comprehensive work plan on health promotion encompassing different diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes…etc..