Manama: Bahrain’s Prime Minister Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa called on the international community for more cooperation to foster global peace and promote development and prosperity.

In a message marking the International Day of Peace on September 21, Prince Khalifa stressed the need to stave off terrorism, saying it was threatening global peace and security and urging a more effective international cooperation to confront it.

Tackling terrorism should not be only by military means, and it should also involve putting an end to terrorism-feeding ideologies, Prince Khalifa said as he warned that any laxity in deterring terrorism would beget more problems for the whole mankind, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

In the message, the prime minister emphasised Bahrain’s commitment, under the leadership of King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa, to support global efforts to promote peace as well as reciprocal respect, understanding and cooperation among all countries.

“Human security and future are at stake because of the terrorist groups’ crimes that deprive people of their right to live,” he said, pointing out that fostering peace needed effective mechanisms to root out the causes of wars and conflicts and direct resources to sustainable development and people’s well-being.

Prince Khalifa said there was a need to focus all international efforts to achieve global peace on the charter of the United Nations as well as on international conventions that underscore the need to respect countries’ sovereignty and independence.

The theme of this year’s International Day of Peace, “Partnerships for Peace, Dignity for All”, has a great significance as it calls on the international community to heed that there is no way to achieve peace but through real partnership and an organised work to confront terrorism and conflicts and ensure a more stable world where all people have dignity and enjoy prosperity, he said.

He added that marking the International Day of Peace while the 70th anniversary of the UN is getting nearer was an opportunity for all countries to work on a common and ambitious programme to achieve sustainable development and take new initiatives to back the efforts of developing countries to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and diseases - the most serious threats to humanity.

Prince Khalifa reiterated Bahrain’s pride in supporting efforts to defend rights and justice regionally and internationally, based on the belief that there can be no progress without putting an end to conflicts that generate destructive wars.

He underlined Bahrain’s commitment to Islamic precepts which preach cooperation and understanding among all people.

“Bahrain is waging a war on terrorism which is led by terrorist groups and organisations receiving support, training and weapons from abroad in order to undermine security and stability,” Prince Khalifa said and stressed that the unity of the Bahraini people was capable of deterring terrorism.

He also pointed out the kingdom’s moral responsibility in supporting global peace and security by participating in the international anti-terrorism coalition as well as in the Saudi-led Arab coalition to defend legitimacy in Yemen.

The Prime Minister urged the media to promote the culture of peace and help instill it in future generations, lauding the role of the UN and its organisations in this respect.

“The noble message of promoting peace needs the support of all people in order to put an end to the negative effects of wars and conflicts that have tremendously exhausted mankind,” he said.