Bahrain and France have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, aimed at building the expertise Bahrain needs for a civilian nuclear program.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday during French President Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to Bahrain, with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Macron attending, the state-run Bahrain News Agency reported.
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani signed for Bahrain. Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, signed for France.
The memorandum links the two countries’ foreign ministries. It aims to develop and sustain the skills and capabilities required for a civilian nuclear program through specialized training, according to the agency.
No financial terms or timetable for a Bahraini nuclear program were disclosed.
During talks with Macron, King Hamad pointed to possible large-scale joint projects in energy, industry and transport, including a railway that would link Bahrain with other Gulf Cooperation Council countries through new bridges.
Macron singled out industry as an area for expansion, including cooperation with Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), and stressed coordination on the security and continuity of energy supplies, the agency said.
The king also cited a defense cooperation agreement the two countries signed during his visit to France in February.
Macron’s Gulf tour, which began on October 19, has also taken him to the UAE and Kuwait. He traveled on to Qatar after leaving Manama on Tuesday.
The UAE’s four-reactor Barakah plant is currently the only nuclear power station in the Gulf Cooperation Council.
