16/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – At their 9th human rights dialogue in Brussels on 11 February, the EU and Bahrain agreed to deepen their cooperation on issues such as digital rights, the fight against human trafficking and workers’ rights, announced the European External Action Service on 13 February. The EU has encouraged Bahrain to better align its policies with international human rights law, particularly as regards human rights defenders, freedom of expression, assembly and association, as well as civil and political rights, in preparation for the November 2026 elections. The EU also called on Bahrain to ratify the remaining major international human rights instruments and to strengthen its cooperation with the United Nations special procedures. The next dialogue will be held in Manama in late 2026 or early 2027. (CG)