Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad attended the 19th Manama Dialogue in Bahrain from 17 to 19 November 2023. Organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the annual dialogue is a key security forum for senior defence, security and foreign affairs officials from around the world to discuss security challenges in the Middle East and beyond.

While in Bahrain, Mr Zaqy was hosted to lunch by Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. He also met with Bahrain's National Security Advisor and Commander of the Royal Guard His Highness Lieutenant General Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, as well as Bahrain's Advisor to His Majesty the King for Diplomatic Affairs Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa. They reaffirmed the warm bilateral and defence relations between Singapore and Bahrain.

On the sidelines of the Manama Dialogue, Mr Zaqy also separately met with China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Zhai Jun, Germany's Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office Dr Tobias Lindner, Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jassim Mohamed Al Budaiwi, Saudi Arabia's Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs Dr Khalid Al Biyari, United Arab Emirates' Diplomatic Advisor to the President Dr Anwar Gargash and Yemen's Minister of Defence Lieutenant General Muhsen Mohamed Aldaeiri. During their meetings, they exchanged views on regional and global security developments and reaffirmed bilateral defence relations.

Singapore has been attending the Manama Dialogue since its inception in 2004. The 19th Manama Dialogue was attended by more than 500 senior government officials from over 40 government delegations.