Bahrain: Gateway to the Arabian Gulf - Creating Business Opportunities for Iowa Companies

FEATURING
H.E. Shaikh Abdulla AlKhalifa
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the U.S. 

Additional welcome remarks provided by
Iowa Secretary of State - Paul D. Pate


Home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, the Kingdom of Bahrain has been a close ally of the USA for generations.  In recent years, Bahrain has implemented policies that further strengthen this partnership.  The U.S. - Bahrain Free Trade Agreement began in 2006, and annual two-way trade now exceeds $2 billion.  Bahrain is looking to Iowa to help bolster the Kingdom’s food security. A signatory of the Abraham Accords, Bahrain has taken steps to promote regional peace.

His Excellency was appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States in 2017. In 2022, he was the first Bahraini Ambassador to receive the prestigious "Ambassador of the Year" award.

Ambassador AlKhalifa's post-graduate career started at the Royal Court, where he worked and oversaw Educational, Medical and Social Affairs. He then joined the General Organization for Youth and Sports as the Director of Planning and Follow-up and was later appointed Director of Financial and Human Resources. In 2010, he was appointed Governor of the Southern Governorate of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the largest in size and with the highest potential for development. Ambassador AlKhalifa played an active role in drafting the National Anti-Drug Strategy in conjunction with the regional office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which was launched in 2016.

To learn more about the Ambassador's awards and volunteer work, visit www.abdullaralkhalifa.com.

This event is presented by the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce and in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Iowa Economic Development Authority.