This year marks the 26th anniversary of the accession to the throne of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, may God protect and preserve him. This occasion commemorates His Majesty’s accession to the throne as successor to the late Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, may God have mercy on him, may God rest his soul, and the beginning of a new phase in the history of the Kingdom of Bahrain, accompanied by modernization and development efforts that have shaped the modern state. This day represents an opportunity to reflect on the course of development that the Kingdom has witnessed over more than a quarter of a century, from modernizing the constitutional framework to strengthening the institutional structure of the state.

The National Action Charter of 2001 was a major turning point in the reform process. It laid the foundations for reorganizing the relationship between the authorities and defined the principles governing the work of the legislative, judicial, and executive institutions, thereby enhancing the clarity of the legal framework. With the proclamation of the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2002 and the adoption of an amended constitution, a political system based on clearly defined constitutional institutions took shape, contributing to the development of political life and enhancing legislative stability.

On the economic front, the Kingdom of Bahrain moved towards diversifying the economy and developing non-oil sectors by modernizing economic laws, improving the investment environment, and strengthening the role of the private sector. During 2025, the Kingdom witnessed positive indicators that reaffirmed the success of its economic diversification strategy, with gross domestic product rising by 2.7% in the first quarter of the year, driven by growth in both oil and non-oil activities. The Bahraini economy also recorded 2.5% growth in the second quarter on an annual basis, with strong growth in non-oil activities reaching 3.5%, reflecting continued improvement in multiple sectors.

At the regional and international levels, Bahrain’s foreign policy in recent years has been characterized by a focus on cooperation, stability, and multilateralism. The Kingdom has sought to expand its economic and political partnerships, contribute to dialogues related to regional security, and support initiatives related to peace and development. This approach has helped to strengthen its presence in international forums and consolidate its role as an actor seeking to build balanced relationships in its immediate environment and beyond. The Kingdom of Bahrain’s efforts at the international level have resulted in two important successes: first, the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly on January 28 of an international day for peaceful coexistence, based on an initiative by the Kingdom of Bahrain; and second, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s winning of a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the period 2026-2027.

The passage of 26 years since the accession of His Majesty the King, may God protect and preserve him, provides a framework for tracing the path of modernization that the Kingdom of Bahrain has witnessed, accompanied by the strengthening of governance and the development of public policies, paving the way for continued institutional development efforts and keeping pace with regional and international changes. The path taken by the Kingdom since the late 1990s to the present day reflects a continuous drive to strengthen institutions, modernize regulatory frameworks, and build an environment that is better able to cope with rapid economic and political changes.

Note: This article has been automatically translated, the full article is available in Arabic.

Mona Saad Al Resais, Research analyst