Israel, Bahrain to allow COVID-19 vaccinated people to travel between their countries
April 23, 2021, 9:54 am

Israel, Bahrain to allow COVID-19 vaccinated people to travel between their countries

The national flags of Bahrain, Israel and America, are seen attached to the Israeli flag carrier El Al plane that will fly an Israeli delegation, accompanied by U.S. aides, to Bahrain to formalise relations and broaden Gulf cooperation, at Ben Gurion International Airport, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel October 18, 2020. (Reuters)

Israel and Bahrain announced a deal to recognize each other's COVID-19 vaccination programs and let people who have had shots travel without restriction between their countries, according to official statements from the two nations.

“According to the agreement, people who have been vaccinated in both countries and received vaccinations recognized in the other country will be exempt from quarantine and be able to enter places that require a ‘green passport’,” according to a statement from Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry.Bahrain said that the next phase of the agreement would see arrangements made for people who have been vaccinated with a vaccine that is not recognized by one of the two countries.

“The identification process will be carried out digitally, which will greatly facilitate entry into both countries and is expected to strengthen tourism, trade, and economic relations between the two countries,” Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said.

Bahrain’s national carrier has already begun to accept bookings for its first direct flight to Israel’s Tel Aviv set to take off on June 3. According to the Centre for Aviation website, Gulf Air plans to commence a twice-weekly Bahrain-Tel Aviv service with A320neo aircraft starting on June 3, according to a March 23 GDS inventory and timetable display.

Bahrain and Israel formally recognized its peace deal normalizing ties between each other during a signing ceremony in Manama last October that included seven Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) in various fields including those in trade and security.

source: Ismaeel Naar

Image source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”