His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, received HRH Princess Sarah bint Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Executive Director of the International Dates Council, and her accompanying delegation at Al-Safriya Palace, on the occasion of her visit to the Kingdom to sign the agreement to establish the headquarters of the International Dates Observatory in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

During the meeting, His Majesty welcomed Princess Sarah bint Bandar bin Abdulaziz and praised the close and historic fraternal relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as the growing cooperation and coordination between the two countries across various fields.

His Majesty also welcomed the signing of the agreement to establish the headquarters of the International Dates Observatory in Bahrain, affirming that this initiative represents a strategic step that will enhance the Kingdom’s position as a hub for regional and international initiatives related to the dates sector. He further noted that it will support the status of dates as a strategic global product and promote cooperation and the exchange of expertise and experiences among member states.

His Majesty affirmed the Kingdom of Bahrain’s support for the International Dates Council’s programs and initiatives aimed at developing the dates sector, improving production quality, and strengthening international cooperation in a manner that serves the sector’s growth and sustainability.

For her part, HRH Princess Sarah bint Bandar bin Abdulaziz expressed her sincere thanks and appreciation to His Majesty the King for the warm reception and generous hospitality. She also valued the Kingdom of Bahrain’s hosting of the headquarters of the International Dates Observatory and commended the Kingdom’s interest in the dates sector and its role in supporting economic and social development.

The establishment of the International Dates Observatory comes within the framework of efforts to strengthen the sector’s knowledge and statistical infrastructure, support decision-making, develop value chains, and enhance coordination and cooperation among date-producing and date-importing countries, thereby contributing to strengthening the sector’s position at both the regional and international levels.