Countering Radicalism and Extremism in the Middle East
A Perspective from the Kingdom of Bahrain
Monday, May 12, 2025
10:00 am - 11:00 am
The Program on Extremism at The George Washington University hosted Shiekha Alanood Ebrahim Al Khalifa, First Secretary at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the United Kingdom, for a discussion on Bahrain’s perspective on countering radicalism and extremism in the Middle East. Moderated by Senior Research Fellow Omar Mohammed, this conversation examined Bahrain’s efforts to combat extremism, from counterterrorism policies to initiatives focused on preventing radicalization through education, media, and community engagement. The discussion also explored Bahrain’s role in regional security cooperation, its partnerships in counterterrorism efforts, and the Kingdom’s broader commitment to promoting tolerance and coexistence through interfaith dialogue and social resilience. This event provided a unique opportunity to hear firsthand how Bahrain navigates the challenges of extremism and contributes to regional stability.
On May 12, 2025, the Program on Extremism at The George Washington University hosted an event titled “Countering Radicalism in the Middle East: Bahrain’s Approach to Peace and Security.” Shiekha Alanood Ebrahim Al Khalifa, First Secretary at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the United Kingdom, joined PoE Senior Research Fellow Omar Mohammed to discuss Bahrain’s comprehensive strategy to combat extremism and promote peaceful coexistence in the region.
Shiekha Al Khalifa emphasized Bahrain’s proactive stance in addressing terrorism, identifying its progression through extremist ideologies, financing, and execution. She detailed Bahrain's five-pillar framework: prevention, protection, pursuit, preparation, and resilience, which integrates both hard and soft power approaches, with community safety as a cornerstone of national security. A key component of Bahrain's strategy is financial oversight. The Financial Intelligence National Center (FINC) plays a pivotal role in monitoring and preventing terror financing, aligning with international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Bahrain was notably the first country in the region to regulate charitable donations to prevent misuse for extremist purposes.
Shiekha Al Khalifa also highlighted Bahrain’s commitment to promoting peaceful coexistence through initiatives like the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence. This center has been instrumental in fostering interfaith dialogue and tolerance. In recognition of these efforts, the United Nations designated January 28 as the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence, following Bahrain's proposal. Community engagement programs such as “Bahrainouna” and “Ma’an” were discussed as effective tools in building societal resilience against radicalization. Shiekha Al Khalifa also emphasized Bahrain's efforts in rehabilitating former extremists through education and community integration programs.
Addressing the challenges of online radicalization, Shiekha Al Khalifa acknowledged the global nature of this issue and highlighted Bahrain's legislative measures to monitor and counteract extremist content on digital platforms.
The discussion concluded with an important reaffirmation of Bahrain's readiness to share its comprehensive and sustainable model, which balances security with legal and human rights frameworks, with international partners.