Today, the United States and the Kingdom of Bahrain announced their joint decision to invite the United Kingdom to accede to the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA), representing a major step forward in fostering broader regional security integration, bolstering mutual deterrence against external threats, and expanding cooperation in the fields of commerce, science, and technology with like-minded states in support of peace and prosperity in the Middle East. This announcement advances the vision of C-SIPA to further cooperation among a broader grouping of countries that share mutual interests and a common vision with respect to deterrence, diplomacy, security, economic cooperation, and de-escalation of conflicts in the Middle East region.
Signed at Washington on September 13, 2023, by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, C-SIPA represents a new framework to promote cooperation across a range of areas, from defense and security to science, technology, and trade. The agreement also promotes a Middle East that is more secure, prosperous, deters conflict in the region, enhances regional stability, de-escalates tensions, and bolsters trade and economic cooperation.