The Kingdom of Bahrain mourns the passing of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who was one of the longest serving prime ministers in the world. Today, we are honouring his memory, legacy and significant developmental achievements to the island.

In the late 1950’s and the outset of the sixties, late HRH the Prime Minister took up many key posts like presidency of the Education Council, chairmanship of the Monetary Council and the Administrative Council and more. His assumption of a wide range of responsibilities played an essential role in establishing the nucleus of the state’s government body, launching the development march and laying a solid foundation for Bahrain’s economic growth.

Prince Khalifa has served as the Prime Minister of Bahrain since 1970, taking office over a year before Bahrain’s independence on August 15, 1971. During the early years of his service as a prime minister, Bahrain saw a rapid development especially when the Kingdom sought to move beyond its dependence on oil.  He worked on improving the living conditions of citizens and developing various economic sectors. He was one of the leading figures in making Bahrain a financial, service and tourism hub.

Prince Khalifa was not only a good politician but also a charismatic person. According to our sources, he enjoyed going on walks regularly as it gave him the opportunity to meditate and ponder on the issues that concern him. He had an affinity for agriculture, horticulture and was interested in birds and wildlife. He was also interested in ancient artifacts such as weapons and cars. However, the hobby that Prince Khalifa loved was drawing and photography.

Artwork by Kathrina Ragadi (5ft x 6ft Handmade Crowns on Canvas)
Over the years, HRH has received many accolades and awards. In 2009, he was given the Visionary Award 2009 of the Union of Arab Banks. The next year he received the Millennium Development Goals Award from the United Nations. In 2016, he became the first Arab Prime Minister to be honored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for being among the leaders who strongly supported the use of ICT in achieving sustainable development goals.

Moreover, Prince Khalifa was the first Arab Prime Minister to receive the following awards: The Flame of Peace Award from the Association for the Furtherance of Peace, Austria as well as The Arab League Shield for Leadership in Arab Development.

In 2017, a new city in Bahrain was named after the Prime Minister. “Khalifa Town” was named after him in recognition of his landmark achievements and valuable contributions to the nation. The “Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for Sustainable Development” was also launched to honor his success in improving the path for development in Bahrain.

READ  Bahrain To Undergo 45 Developmental Projects

Prince Khalifa’s contributions to the Kingdom will always be remembered and he will remain an inspiration for all the years to come.

SOURCE: GULFINSIDER