Day: June 1, 2024

Cap Draa (Tan-Tan) - The combined Moroccan-American exercise 'African Lion 2024' wrapped up on Friday at Cap Draa (north of Tan-Tan), with air and ground military maneuvers involving units from the Royal Armed Forces and the US armed forces. During the maneuvers, which took place in the presence of Lieutenant General Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces and Commander of the South Zone, and Army General Michael Langley, Commander of the United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM), military units carried out major ground maneuvers using F16 aircraft belonging to the Royal Air Force. With artillery support, joint ground operations were also conducted against a potential enemy. These maneuvers also included the use of HIMARS missile launchers. A Puma helicopter was also used to evacuate casualties from the battlefield. General Langley told the press after the air and ground maneuvers that Exercise African Lion is a pioneering multinational exercise that facilitates regional cooperation and partnerships be tween the various participants. He added that this year is very special as it marks the 20th anniversary of the 'African Lion' exercise involving Moroccan and international partners to establish constructive regional cooperation and reinforce mutual support. He pointed out that this exercise has grown over the years since 2004, not only in terms of the number of military personnel taking part, but also by expanding the scope of maneuvers. For his part, Colonel Major Fouad Gourani of the Royal Armed Forces underlined that the 'African Lion' exercise is one of the most significant aspects of joint military cooperation between the Royal Armed Forces and the US Army, which dates back many years and reflects the distinguished relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America. He added that this year's edition marks the 20th anniversary of this exercise, which has achieved its objectives as a basis for military cooperation in the field of training, and as an example of the distinguished relationship between the Royal Armed Forces and the US Army, marked by trust, serious commitment and efficiency in developing and strengthening common defense mechanisms and the strategic partnership between the two countries. On an international and continental level, he said, 'African Lion' is the largest military exercise on the African continent, and an opportunity for more than 20 countries working to raise their level of preparedness to face the challenges that can affect security and peace, both on a continental and international level. In a statement to MAP, Lieutenant-Colonel Imad Idrissi, in charge of logistical support for 'African Lion' operations, said the training demonstrated the importance of operational planning, particularly logistical coordination, which are considered essential elements in the success of these multinational maneuvers. He added that the 'African Lion' exercise was an opportunity to test and apply modern approaches and technologies linked to interoperability, and a means of improving the response speed of logistics support units, particularly in a joint operational framework involving several forces. For his part, Staff Sergeant David Rodriguez, of the US forces, expressed his delight at taking part in this military exercise with his Moroccan counterparts, adding that his participation had enabled him to discover the Kingdom. Colonel Mike Weinsman, of the US forces, said that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the African Lion exercise, which began as a small exercise between Morocco and the United States and has now become the largest maneuver on the African continent. He added that the exercise involves 27 countries from four continents. The combined Moroccan-American exercise 'African Lion 2024' was launched on May 20 at the Southern Zone Command in Agadir, and took place in several regions of the Kingdom, including Cap Draa in Tan-Tan, Benguerir, Agadir, Akka and Tafnit, with the participation of around 7,000 members of the armed forces of some 20 countries, in a ddition to the Royal Armed Forces and US forces, as well as military observers from 7 countries: Angola, Gabon, Zambia, Senegal, Cameroon, United Arab Emirates and France. The program for the 20th edition of the 'African Lion 2024' exercise included joint land, sea and air tactical exercises, both day and night, a Special Forces Exercise and operations for airborne forces, as well as a 'Task Force' operational planning exercise. It also included academic and counter-weapons-of-mass-destruction training, as well as a package of medical, surgical and social services provided by a military field hospital for the people of the Akka region. The 'African Lion 2024' exercise, the largest of its kind in Africa, contributes to strengthening operational, technical and procedural interoperability between the participating armies, and remains an important event where military executives meet to exchange procedures and experiences, particularly in the field of combined joint training. This twentieth edition bears witn ess to the sustainability of the cooperation between the FAR and the US Armed Forces, reflecting the strong historical ties that bind the two countries. Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse

Paris, Team Victorious its success in Europe after it recorded a new achievement by winning the Florence, France, 120 km race for the second consecutive time. His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, HM the King's Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, emphasised that this achievement underscores the status of Bahraini endurance in European competitions. HH Shaikh Nasser added that the team's success reflects the continuous progress and advancement of Bahraini endurance on a global stage, demonstrating the support for equestrian sports by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the government led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, and Prime Minister. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Cairo was named on Saturday "the capital of tourism" for the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the year 2026 during the 12th tourism ministerial conference which is currently held in Uzbekistan. In a statement released by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Minister Ahmad Issa affirmed the diverse touristic potentials that Cairo has and appreciated the OIC for their decision. The ministry is working on developing the cultural Cairo city breaks which will see an increase in tourism, Issa said, affirming that Cairo is one of the most prominent heritage cities that fit the criteria of the OIC for this achievement. Cairo's nomination for the City of Tourism prize for 2025/26, includes many dimensions like historical which encompasses heritage sites and historical antiquities, spiritual which includes the "trip of the Holy Family", cultural which involves Islamic cultural heritage sites. Source: Kuwait News Agency

Manama, Fatima bint Jaffar Al Sairafi, the Minister of Tourism, emphasised the importance of the deep-rooted historical Bahraini-Chinese ties and cooperation in various domains, including the economic and tourism sectors. Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, launched direct flights to Guangzhou and Shanghai, coinciding with the state visit of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the President of the current session of the Arab Summit, to the People's Republic of China and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Al Sairafi said the Chinese market is a key target market in Bahrain's Tourism Strategy 2022-2026, highlighting the significant tourism opportunities it presents for the Kingdom and the region. She underscored the ongoing efforts to collaborate with the private sector in developing tourism packages tailored to Chinese tourists. The Ministry of Tourism and Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) are studying Chinese tourists' interests and culture to create tourism experiences that will attract more Chinese visitors to Bahrain. She added that BTEA recently signed a partnership with tourism offices in China to promote the Kingdom in the Chinese market. Additionally, the BTEA organised a workshop for over 100 travel agencies, destination managers, and hotel establishments to learn about the Chinese market and the needs of Chinese tourists. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Seven people were injured in an Israeli occupation air strike against the town of Seddiqine, southern Lebanon, reported a media source on Saturday. According to the National News Agency (NNA), the Israeli occupation's air force also launched several attacks against targets throughout the southern region of Lebanon, resulting in varying degrees of damage and casualties. The Lebanese resistance forces and the Israeli occupation's drones and air force had been at it since Friday launching tit-for-tat assaults. Since October 2023, southern Lebanon became a theater of military operations pitting the Israeli occupation against the resistance forces. The current predicament was ignited in the aftermath of the "Al-Aqsa flood" in the Gaza Strip. Source: Kuwait News Agency

Manama, The Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) received the Champions Award during the the United Nations' World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), recognising the revamped National Portal, bahrain.bh, from among more than 1,000 submissions globally under the eGovernment category as part of "ICT Applications: Benefits in All Aspects of Life categories." Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, the iGA Chief Executive, expressed pride in the achievement, highlighting the directives of General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communication Technology (MCICT), to enhance the National Portal bahrain.bh and digital channels, improve access to government services, and enhance user experience. Al Qaed underscored the iGA's mission to continuously develop eServices since the portal's launch in 2007, in line with technological advancements and the needs of citizen and resident. Following several development stages, the portal o ffers information on 1,300+ government services, 680+ eServices, seamless electronic integration with more than 40 public and private entities, with monthly visits that surpassed 1.5 million visits. The National Portal's key features include user profile 'Personalisation', a favourite eServices list, 'Government Notifications' for various government entities, a transaction history spanning six months, and a smart assistant 'Chatbot'. The portal supports multiple payment methods, including BenefitPay and Apple Pay, and provides secure payment options through a "Saved Cards" feature, enabling users to easily store bank or credit cards. Al Qaed praised the portal users, citizens and residents, for their significant contributions towards this achievement, emphasising their cooperation with the iGA and their feedback and suggestions through various interactive channels. During the WSIS 2024 awarding ceremony that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, the Champions award was received on behalf of the Information an d eGovernment Authority by a representative from the Kingdom of Bahrain's Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. WSIS is an annual event held in Geneva by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to spotlight digital projects that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is co-organised by ITU, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Source: Bahrain News Agency