His Excellency Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Bahrain’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to boosting economic and investment cooperation with the Sultanate of Oman. This effort aims to build on existing strategic partnerships and open new opportunities aligned with the visions of the two countries’ leadership.
During his official visit to Oman, HE Minister Fakhro met with Omani Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, HE Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral trade, investment, and economic diversification efforts.
The visit also included meetings with HE Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi, Omani Minister of Finance, and other key officials and business leaders. Opportunities for cooperation in priority sectors and between private sector stakeholders were highlighted, along with discussions on high-value investments.
His Excellency Minister of Industry and Commerce witnessed the signing of an MoU between Export Bahrain and Oman’s SME Development Authority, in an aim to boost bilateral cooperation in SME and entrepreneurship development, support strategic goals in industrial growth, and help SMEs expand into regional and global markets, enhancing their contribution to GDP.
HE Fakhro concluded his visit by touring the “Invest in Oman” platform and the Youth Center, where he met with Omani entrepreneurs and emphasized the importance of empowering youth to drive economic growth.
 

His Excellency Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, chaired the 24th meeting of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Development Council at the Ministry’s headquarters, with the participation of member representatives.

The Minister emphasized the vital role of SMEs in the national economy and highlighted the importance of adopting innovative policies to boost the sector’s resilience and competitiveness.

The meeting reviewed the SME development strategy, its key objectives, implementation stages, and main challenges. It also discussed creating an effective regulatory framework and enhancing collaboration among stakeholders to promote sustainable growth and innovation, increasing the sector’s contribution to the GDP.
 

Bahrain’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, met with Russia’s Minister of Economic Development, H.E. Mr. Maxim Reshetnikov, during his official visit to Bahrain.

The two sides discussed strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing economic cooperation. Minister Fakhro highlighted Bahrain’s position as an attractive global investment hub, supported by a business-friendly environment and government incentives.

They also reviewed Bahrain’s upcoming participation as Guest of Honor at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum this June.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has called on Bahraini manufacturers to register on the Arab Platform for Industrial and Mining Products Requests and Offers (APIP.online), which was launched as an initiative by the Arab Organization for Industrial Development, Standardization and Mining. The platform aims to connect Arab manufacturers with available opportunities in Arab markets, contributing to strengthening economic integration and increasing the volume of trade exchange, as part of enhancing industrial and mining cooperation among Arab countries.

In this regard, Dr. Khaled Fahad Al Alawi, Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Development at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, affirmed that this platform represents an exceptional opportunity for Bahraini manufacturers to showcase their products at the Arab level and to become familiar with the needs of regional markets in the industrial and mining sectors. This enables them to take advantage of available opportunities and strengthen their presence in Arab markets.

Al Alawi pointed out that this step aligns with the Industrial Sector Strategy (2022–2026), which focuses on supporting nationally originated exports and opening doors for Bahraini manufacturers to expand regionally and compete in procurement agreements.

He added that through this platform, the Ministry seeks to continue promoting regional cooperation and achieving integration among Arab industrial sectors, praising Bahrain’s manufacturing capabilities, which possess the potential and expertise to compete both regionally and internationally.

It is worth noting that the Arab Platform for Industrial and Mining Products Requests and Offers currently includes data on more than 60,000 industrial and mining establishments and over 900 investment opportunities from 21 Arab countries, providing a comprehensive database of industrial and mining products and needs across the region.

H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, met with the Saudi delegation of the Bahrain-Saudi Joint Business Council, in the presence of Mr. Mohammed Abduljabbar Al-Kooheji, Second Vice Chairman of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, alongside representatives from the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The meeting highlighted the strong strategic ties between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and discussed ways to boost trade, investment, and economic cooperation. Key joint initiatives were reviewed, with a focus on economic diversification and creating new investment opportunities.

As part of its ongoing efforts to develop the business environment and enhance compliance with regulatory decisions, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has announced the launch of a new service in collaboration with several local banks. This service enables business owners to easily open a commercial bank account, contributing to the stability of commercial activities.

In this context, His Excellency Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, affirmed that this step reflects the Ministry’s continuous commitment to establishing a flexible, transparent, and investment-friendly business environment. It also highlights the Ministry’s dedication to providing efficient services that facilitate doing business and support business owners in complying with relevant regulations. He further noted that the Ministry will continue to develop more initiatives to support the national economy.

The Minister added that this new service is part of an integrated set of initiatives aimed at simplifying procedures, achieving the highest levels of legislative compliance, and enhancing the efficiency of government services provided to the commercial sector, thereby boosting Bahrain’s competitiveness regionally and internationally.

This initiative comes in line with the implementation of Resolution No. (43) of 2024 regarding payment regulations for commercial transactions of business establishments, which mandates all commercial establishments to open a unified commercial bank account for their financial transactions and provide approved electronic payment methods that support transparency and digitization in commercial activities.

To simplify the process, a direct service point has been established on the second floor of the Bahrain Financial Harbour, near the Bahrain Investors Center. Additionally, the service can be accessed online via the commercial registration system “Sijilat” at www.sijilat.bh.

The Ministry urges all commercial establishments to open a commercial bank account before the deadline on June 13, 2025, to ensure full compliance with the resolution and benefit from the provided facilities.

For more information, please contact: ir@moic.gov.bh or call 80008001.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in the presence of HE Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, received the Golden Shield at the Ministry’s Metal Testing Center from Dr. Shaikha Rana Bint Isa Bin Duaij Al Khalifa, Director General of the Institute of Public Administration and Vice Chair of the Government Service Centers Evaluation Committee. This recognition was awarded for the Center’s achievement of the Gold Category among government service centers under the “Taqyeem ...

H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro expressed his appreciation for the continuous support provided by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, He emphasized that this support serves as a strong motivation for government entities to continuously improve their performance and deliver high-quality services that meet the expectations of the public.

The Minister highlighted that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is diligently focusing its efforts on enhancing performance and updating its systems to increase the efficiency of the services provided. He also praised the efforts of all those working at the Metal Testing Center, commending their role in driving continuous improvement and development, making the center a distinguished model in customer service excellence.

H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, participated in the celebration organized by Al Hawaj Group on occasion of  the 115th anniversary of  the founding of Samsonite International, in the presence of Al Hawaj Group Chairman Jawad Al Hawaj and a number of officials , at the company's branch in City Centre.

The Minister praised the pivotal role of the private sector in supporting the national economy, noting Al-Hawaj Group’s achievements in localizing many brands in the Kingdom of Bahrain, adding that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in cooperation with related authorities, is working to provide more facilities to ensure the smooth attraction of investments, which contributes to boosting national economy.

Notably, Samsonite International is one of the most prominent American brands specialized in manufacturing bags.