H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, received Bahrain National Holding Company board member Mr. Jehad Yousef Amin, where a number of topics of common interest were reviewed at his office this morning.

H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro expressed his pride in the performance of national companies, praising the government's support for positive economic growth by involving all vital sectors to achieve Bahrain's ambitious development goals.

Moreover, the Minister stressed Bahrain National Holding Group's influential role in strengthening the national economy as one of the leading companies in Bahrain, noting services provided by the company in the fields of insurance and risk management.​ 

HE Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, inaugurated the "Continuous Giving 3" exhibition, organized by the Savings and Loan Society for staff of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in cooperation with Harbour Gate, on the occasion of International Women's Day and the approaching holy month of Ramadan and Mother's Day, starting March 7 to March 9 at the Financial Harbour, second floor, with the participation of a group of specialized shops, a number of employees of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and visitors.

On this occasion, H.E the Minister of Industry and Commerce stressed that such events care for the social and psychological aspects of the Ministry's employees, which reflects positively on their performance, and supports local products and events organized by the Ministry.

For her part, Mrs. Amina Al-Hamar, President of the Savings and Loan Society for staff of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce praised the support of H.E. the Minister for the "Continuous Giving 3" exhibition, noting that this event symbolizes the generosity of Ramadan and the constant giving of women, as this event achieves the objectives of the Association, which was founded in 2002, to encourage social and cultural activities.

H.E. Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro received in his office this morning HE Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Kingdom of Bahrain Faisal bin Hareb bin Hamad Al Busaidi, where they discussed a number of issues of common interest. ​

H.E. the Minister of Industry and Commerce praised the strength of historical relations between Bahrain and Oman, pointing out that such meetings enrich bilateral relations, and enhance cooperation, especially in the economic field, to common achieve visions and aspirations.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce succeeded in passing the external audit of the ISO 22301:2019 certification for Business Continuity System, which was implemented by the certification body for the second year in a row, and included continuous efforts to apply business continuity management and crisis management in various possible and potential circumstances, and was also able to pass the external audit of the requirements of the standard (ISO 45001:  2018) in the Occupational Health And Safety Management System to apply the best internationally approved practices.

On this occasion, H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, affirmed that this achievement came with unrelenting support from senior management and its belief in developing and activating systems to include business continuity, occupational health and safety and crisis management, in addition to adopting a preventive approach to reduce the impact of accidents, ensuring the continuity of basic business during times of crisis, reducing downtime periods in case of any accident and reducing the likelihood of its occurrence. This comes as a culmination of the continuous efforts to work according to international methodologies and systems. Expressing his thanks and appreciation to all employees for their efforts over the past years, noting that this entitlement reflects the Ministry's vision to improve the level and quality of the services it provides.

It is notable the Ministry is one of the first to obtain this type of advanced international certification. The Ministry is also fully committed to the application of the comprehensive Quality Management System (ISO9001:2015) according to international standard requirements, as it has recently upgraded its work by applying the best practices in the field of governance, as well as effective planning to achieve annual goals and meet customer needs, with a mechanism to control potential risks as well as effective documentation and internal audit.

HE Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, chaired the 15^TH meeting of the SMEs Development Board on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at the Ministry.

The Minister began the meeting by welcoming the members, followed by a presentation by SMEs Development Director Ms. Shaikha Al-Fadhel, on the initiatives of the Council's work plan (2022-2026) and the achievement rates according to the performance indicators of the initiatives and projects under implementation, noting that the Board has completed 24 out of 43 initiatives within its strategic plan since its establishment.

Moreover, the latest developments of UOB's Bahrain Innovation and Technology Transfer Center were reviewed, including the 13 invention disclosure forms received by the Center to date. The meeting also discussed the latest developments regarding the initiatives to enhance SMEs' participation in government procurement, which in turn contributed to raising the share of this category of enterprises in government procurement and tenders to 11% during the year 2022.
During the meeting, Al Amal Fund affirmed the sustainability of Al-Amal's initiatives in supporting Bahraini youth projects, as Al-Amal launched the 'Biban Crowdfunding Platform', through which it became the first program in the world to include an interactive crowdfunding component, and the platform succeeded in facilitating funding for two Bahraini companies with an amount of 80,000 US dollars.

To comply with the national efforts to encourage SMEs to digital transformation, the most important points were reviewed regarding the "Tijara" platform initiative launched by BDB to empower start-ups and SMEs and provide them with flexible and innovative financial services that provide them with direct access to financing options. This was followed by a presentation on talent development and Export Bahrain, regarding its achievements this year, which exceeded 350 million US dollars.

In conclusion, HE the Minister stressed the importance of continuing efforts to support SMEs and entrepreneurs to develop its contributions to the national economy.​

Minister of Industry and Commerce HE Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro stressed the depth of bilateral relations tying Bahrain and France on various levels, most importantly in commerce and industry, crowned by many joint economic agreements between the two countries, signed during the official visit of HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to the French Republic on April 28, 2019.

This came during a business luncheon organized by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain (FCCIB), in the presence of French Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain Jérôme Cauchard, and FCCIB President Mr. Jean-Christophe Durand, and a number of (FCCIB) members and businessmen and investors in the Kingdom, at the Gulf Hotel - Bahrain. 

The Minister noted that the Government of Bahrain has taken many steps to make the Kingdom an attractive destination for foreign companies and investments, as the local economy continues to grow and thrive thanks to the diversification policy.

His Excellency also reviewed a set of measures taken by the Ministry to facilitate procedures and attract more investments at the local, regional and global levels.

(FCCIB) is part of the network of French Chambers of Commerce and Industry abroad (CCI France International) and it aims to strengthen economic relations between Bahrain and France. 

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Israel's Start-Up Nation Central – a nonprofit that connects governments, corporations and investors to the Israeli innovation ecosystem – together with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in the Kingdom of Bahrain (MOIC), Bahrain's Economic Development Board (EDB), the Embassy of Bahrain in Israel, and the Embassy of Israel in the Kingdom of Bahrain has announced that it will hold the first conference for business leaders of both countries.

The “Connect2Innovate" conference in Manama, Bahrain is a first-of-its-kind event taking place between March 13-15. The event will bring together government officials, major companies, international organizations, business communities, and tech innovators, to focus on challenges across fintech, logistics and supply changes, water, energy and climate.

The event will also include a unique policy track, including workshops on tech ecosystem building and human capital development, challenges that both countries face and can share knowledge and best practices.

Start-Up Nation Central is bringing a delegation of more than 50 Israelis including senior government officials, business executives, entrepreneurs, and investors, to Bahrain.

The Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro affirmed that the conference will bring together visionary speakers from business sectors in Bahrain and Israel, to explore the opportunities and challenges in the fields of innovation and technology.

He said: “this event is a unique opportunity for both Bahrain and Israel to come together and share their experiences, best practices, and work towards developing innovative solutions that will drive progress and growth in the industry."

The Minister added, “The potential for collaboration between our nations is vast, and this conference will serve as a platform to harness this human capital and develop new technologies, business models and economic opportunities."

Ambassador Eitan Na'eh, Ambassador of Israel to the Kingdom of Bahrain said, “The Connect2Innovate conference is taking place in Manama as both Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain are moving forward to realize the vision of the Abraham Accords and the opportunities it offers us all as it strives to reach its fullest potential. Taking the Accords from a vision to reality, relations between our two countries are moving forward as we harness both countries' added values- our human capital, mutual quest for peace, security and prosperity through innovation, economic cooperation, and progress.

The conference will allow our business communities to explore ways to cooperate moving forward and together, by creating a model whereby close friendly relations plus cooperation in innovation equals opportunities for growth and prosperity. We invite others to join us on this journey. Let us innovate! I wish us all success in this endeavor."

Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson said, “Over the past two decades, Bahrain has emerged as an important player on the international stage, with a growing economy that offers exciting investment opportunities."

Hasson added that “Innovation and technology are essential elements in this partnership and can help translate the agreements into practical bilateral trade that can revolutionize the entire region as it tried to align to new development goals."

During the conference's opening ceremony, a live signing of a series of MOUs between Israeli and Bahraini entities will take place to pave the way for a surge of B2B and G2G activities - particularly in the fields of fintech, manufacturing, logistics, water, energy and climate.

The second and third days of the conference include professional workshops, lectures, business panels, pitch sessions and roundtable discussions around separate business and policy tracks.

H.E. Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdulla Fakhro affirmed the esteemed government's support to the industrial sector in Bahrain, as one of the promising sectors in the economic recovery plan, supporting the goals of comprehensive development under the leadership of HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the continuous follow-up of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

This came as H.E. the Minister headed the delegation of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the meetings of the Executive Committee and the Higher Committee for Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development, held in Amman, Jordan, from 25 to 26 February 2023, in the presence of Their Excellencies Ministers of Industry of the UAE, Jordan and Egypt.

The Minister stated that Bahrain's accession to the Partnership contributed to enhancing the industrial sector with over 10 proposals for industrial projects with an estimated value of over $ 2 billion, which reflects the awareness of the private sector of these opportunities that follow the industrial sector strategy (2022-2026) in achieving industrial integration.

Fakhro added: "Perhaps the opportunities of this partnership lie in the industries the Kingdom of Bahrain is entering for the first time, such as the electric car industry, which we are proud of, in addition to the development of modern technologies in the fields of pharmaceutical industries."

"The integrated industrial partnership has provided a golden opportunity for our factory in the midst of its restructuring, as the supply agreement resulting from our partnership with the UAE's “M Glory" ensures the continuity and sustainability of the company," said GARMCO CEO Mr. Mohammed Rafi, noting that the factory is currently studying other investment opportunities under the partnership to complete the value chain for the manufacture of electric vehicles.

For his part, Mr. Nizar Adwan, “Alpha Biotech" CEO, stated that the interest of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in the industrial sector in light of the ambitious strategy has opened broad horizons for SMEs' growth and sustainability, noting that Bahrain's accession to this partnership opens billion-dollar worth markets outside the borders and opportunities to replace imports from the partnership countries.

Moreover, Dr. Waqar Ahmed, Managing Director of Gulf Biotech, expressed the company's commitment to improve the healthcare sector by developing and providing a wide range of vaccines in key markets, and that the project will contribute to meeting the needs of the region and its self-sufficiency.

The meeting included the announcement of a number of projects resulting from partnerships, most importantly the supply of aluminum sheets by "GARMCO" to manufacture electric cars in partnership with UAE "M Glory", and a number of MOUs for producing pharmaceuticals by "Alpha Biotech" factory in partnership with Dar Al-Dawa Company from Jordan and Ebeko from Egypt, in addition to a technology transfer agreement between "Gulf Biotech" and one of the Egyptian factories at an investment value of over 600 million USD.

The Kingdom of Bahrain joined the Statute of the Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development in August 2022, along with the UAE, Jordan and Egypt with the aim of securing supply chains, self-sufficiency, localization, integration of value chains, creating integrated value-added industries, in addition to economic development, diversification, providing qualitative opportunities and sustainable economic development.​