The global tourism industry faces numerous challenges when it comes to decarbonisation, as highlighted by a November 2021 report from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme and multinational consulting firm Accenture. In the years prior to the pandemic the sector thrived, recording its 10th consecutive year of growth in 2019. Moreover, with…
With tourism tipped to be an important driver of growth and recovery in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the sector is projected to play a major role in wider economic expansion and attracting investment in the kingdom. Bahrain has several large-scale projects in the pipeline that are designed to position the country as a top destination in the region, leveraging its location in the Gulf between…
Bahrain’s health sector is undergoing a series of changes under the National Health Plan (NHP) 2016-25 that are designed to improve patient choice, raise standards and encourage private sector involvement. One of the plan’s landmark reforms is the rollout of a new health insurance scheme for citizens, expatriates and visitors, known as Sehati, or “my health”. The Ministry of Health has shifted…
The Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting disruption to physical interactions caused complications for all sectors of the economy. In the education sector, the pandemic created challenges to learning continuity as schools and universities had to suspend in-person learning for long periods. However, this disruption has accelerated the digitalisation of education and could strengthen the system over the…
In a bid to expand access and widen their reach, educational institutions are increasingly exploring the possibilities of the metaverse and associated extended-reality (XR) approaches. The metaverse comprises a range of technologies which immerse users in a virtual environment. It denotes a 3D medium that combines virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into a new digital realm, sometimes known…
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 caused disruptions across the global economy, from food to energy, and prompted an increase in the number and sophistication of cyberattacks – exacerbating similar impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a poll of 800 chief audit executives conducted by the UK-based Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors, 77% of respondents thought the war…
Bahrain was one of the regional pioneers in liberalising its telecommunications sector and was an early adopter in the GCC of a technology-based strategy to diversify its economy. Following the accelerated wave of digitalisation that accompanied the Covid-19 pandemic, Bahrain aims to enhance its digital ecosystem with the launch of the Telecommunications, ICT and Digital Economy Sector Strategy 2022-2026,…
With connectivity widely recognised as a key driver of the post-Covid-19 economic recovery, GCC countries are poised to expand their 5G networks. 5G in the GCC The UAE unveiled its Industry 4.0 initiative in October 2021 to increase innovation and productivity, lower the industrial sector’s carbon footprint and add some $6.8bn to the economy by 2031. The programme is a cornerstone of the government’s…
With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reigniting international debate about the pace of the global energy transition and the risks of relying on oil and gas imports from countries with opposing agendas, discussion in the Gulf is largely framed around how to extract maximum benefit from the remaining hydrocarbons wealth while also playing a responsible role in global efforts to both mitigate climate change…
The Industrial Sector Strategy 2022-26 was launched in late December 2021 as part of the national Economic Recovery Plan to help Bahrain recover from the economic slowdown brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. The strategy focuses on increasing the sector’s contribution to GDP, expanding domestically produced exports and creating job opportunities. It is supported by efforts to adapt to the Fourth…
