The United States and the Kingdom of Bahrain held the U.S.-Bahrain Military Consultative Committee (MCC) in Washington, DC, on July 16, 2024. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East, Dan Shapiro, led the U.S. delegation, alongside representatives from U.S. Central Command, the Joint Staff, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and the State Department. Minister of Defence Affairs, His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdullah Bin Hassan Al-Noaimi, led Bahrain's delegation, alongside representatives from the Royal Bahraini Air Force, Royal Bahraini Naval Forces, and the Embassy of Bahrain.
The MCC is the preeminent bilateral forum for advancing U.S.-Bahrain defense cooperation, which stands as a critical pillar of the 2023 U.S.-Bahrain Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA).
During the MCC, U.S. and Bahraini leaders reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Bahrain strategic partnership and discussed a range of critical issues, including the status of regional conflicts and the progress of combined efforts to promote regional stability. Bahraini and U.S. participants reviewed opportunities to further develop the defense partnership over future years, including expanding bilateral defense trade, information-sharing, and advisory mechanisms. The MCC included sessions on bilateral intelligence cooperation, military cooperation, and security assistance.
The U.S. delegation praised Bahrain's contributions to U.S.-led regional security initiatives in the Red Sea, including Operation Prosperity Guardian. U.S. officials also affirmed their commitment to further deepen American and Bahraini security cooperation under the framework of C-SIPA. The two sides agreed on the importance of continuing to advance the U.S.-Bahrain defense and security partnership through joint training, exercises, and greater regional cooperation to address shared threats.
