During an official visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain on Thursday, President Katalin Novák called for energy and economic cooperation to be strengthened.
The president was received by the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, and both leaders were in agreement on the necessity of securing the swiftest possible peace in Ukraine. The president noted that the Russia-Ukraine war affected Hungary directly, with almost 150,000 Hungarians living in Transcarpathia. Europe, she added, “needs peace and an end to the war as soon as possible”. Noting that her visit was the first by a Hungarian head of state, Novák said the two countries were connected by a will to preserve traditional values and culture and by prioritising families. Regarding economic ties, Novák welcomed the opportunity to draft cooperation agreements between companies of the two countries. Novák was scheduled to attend an event of the Bahrain Economic Development Board also attended by the Prime Minister of Bahrain. She underlined Hungary’s support for Bahrain’s exemption from the Schengen visa, while MOL Group’s deputy chief executive, Oszkár Világi, and the representatives of Nass Corporation and Nogaholding in Bahrain signed declarations of agreement.
Meanwhile, Attila Steiner, state secretary for energy and climate policy, told public media that Hungary and Bahrain have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at boosting hydrocarbon production and one aimed at improving road construction. Hungarian oil and gas company MOL can offer technologies to Bahrain that can enhance extraction from depleting oil fields, Steiner, who is part of the delegation accompanying Novák, said. Given the wealth of experience and large hydrocarbon production capacities of Middle Eastern countries, the signing of the agreement is also linked to Hungary’s diversification goals, Steiner said, adding that cooperation with Bahrain on energy could be a good starting point for further economic cooperation.