Bahrain, US fete 100 years of friendship

Hamad receives 175 US citizens whose families have made an impact on the country’s growth

Bahrain and the US have paid tribute to more than 100 years of their “special friendship” as King Hamad Bin Eisa received a delegation of 175 Americans.

The delegation included doctors, engineers, admirals, sailors, pilots, teachers, students, pastors, athletes, chefs, entrepreneurs and visitors whose families had an impact on Bahrain early in the 20th century.

“Thank you for bringing your talents to our country. We are deeply grateful for the part you are playing in the prosperity of Bahrain, and we welcome you here most warmly,” King Hamad told the members of the delegation on Monday. “Today we celebrate the deep and special bond between our nations. The evidence of that friendship is all around us: from the hundreds of American businesses operating in Bahrain, to the mighty Fifth Fleet stationed in our waters.”

Bahrain and the US shared the values of tolerance and generosity of spirit, the king told his guests.

“Here in Bahrain we have a hospital founded by a Christian mission, alongside mosques and churches, synagogues and temples. In the USA people of all faiths come to live the American dream. We may be different nations, but we are united by this proud tradition of tolerance,” he said.

In his speech, US Ambassador Justin Hicks Siberell said, “In Bahrain we have found a new community, a new home. Americans in Bahrain strive to play a positive role here and deeply appreciate the gracious hospitality, openness and kindness of the Bahraini people.”

The friendship began with the arrival of a group of “remarkable and selfless” individuals who founded the American Mission, and today around 17,000 Americans live in Bahrain and the diversity of their vocations and activities mirrors the depth and complexity of the broader relationship between the two countries, Siberell, who took up his post in Bahrain in November, said.

One of the strongest connections Bahrain and the US share is through business and trade and more than 200 US companies are based in Bahrain, with two-way trade in goods and services exceeding $3 billion (Dh11 billion), he said.

17,000 Americans currently work and live in Bahrain