In August 2017 Bahrain’s Industrial Areas Development Directorate, which is part of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, moved forward with efforts to update the infrastructure of Salman Industrial City. Previously known as Al Hidd Industrial Area, the city includes Bahrain International Investment Park (BIIP), Bahrain Investment Wharf and Hidd Industrial Zone. The updates, being…
Real estate investors will pour $10bn into the hospitality sector in Bahrain by 2020, according to the Economic Development Board of Bahrain (EDB), as a raft of new luxury hotels and resorts is built across some of the country’s 33 islands. The developments will cater to people looking for anything from a downtown retail excursion to a relaxing spa break, conference location or eco-friendly…
Part of Bahrain’s tourism strategy is to market experiences as well as the destination, and the country’s leaders have recognised that a full calendar of regular events helps to attract new visitors each year, but also drums up repeat business. At the outset of the 21st century the country invested $150m in building the Middle East’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit. “Tourism infrastructure,…
Vocational training plays a key role in bridging the gap between the classroom and the workplace. The government of Bahrain has created pathways that allow students to focus on technical or professional skills at a number of points in their education, as well as when they leave school. Citizens can access financial support to pay for training and entrepreneurial activity. TECHNICAL SCHOOLS:…
A package of health care reforms set to be introduced in Bahrain by early 2019 is designed to improve patient choice, while also enabling the private sector to play a greater role in provision. Although the introduction of a National Health Insurance Scheme is a central plank of the agenda, reforms considered as part of the National Health Plan 2016-25 are more extensive and will also give…
New schools are springing up across Bahrain, funded by private investors, the government and neighbouring Gulf countries. The developments represent a response to an expanding population, demand for modern facilities suited to 21st-Century teaching methods and the growth of new master-planned communities. The Ministry of Education (MoE) is hoping the new facilities will nurture higher standards…
Bahrain has long remained an attractive place for testing business concepts, with easy scalability in neighbouring markets. The country aims to become a centre of innovation and technological disruption in finance. New regulatory processes from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) allow financial technology (fintech) companies to trial new ideas and systems for limited periods of time without the…
The negotiations that have been ongoing between the British government and the EU since the triggering of Article 50 in March 2017 have attracted the close attention of global decision-makers and will continue to do so until the deadline for a trade agreement expires in March 2019. On March 29, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May submitted the Article 50 withdrawal notification to the EU. That…
Bahrain’s sharia-compliant insurance industry has developed rapidly in the years following the turn of the century. According to a report by multinational professional services firm EY, in 2001 takaful (Islamic insurance) accounted for 3% of the sector’s gross written premium (GWP), but by 2016 it had expanded to capture nearly a quarter of the market, or 22% of GWP, according to statistics…
Recognised by the government as an engine for growth, economic diversification and social cohesion, the ICT sector in Bahrain is expected to play a vital role in enabling the kingdom to achieve its ambition of becoming a regional centre for digital technology. Since ownership was liberalised in the early 21st century, the telecoms industry has made a direct contribution to the development of the national…
