Bahrain

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...

Since the 1970s Bahrain has made a concerted effort to diversify its economy, with efforts visible in the vibrant manufacturing segment and from the growth of the kingdom’s heavy industries. Despite the drop in state revenues due to lower global oil prices in recent years, Bahrain continues to invest in its industrial sector, notably with the...

Several major expansion projects are currently under way in the hydrocarbons sector, pointing both to the significant role the industry still plays in the economy and to the positive efforts being taken to leverage the use of the kingdom’s natural resources.

Strong real estate growth continues in Bahrain, with a number of residential, commercial and hospitality developments coming on-line in 2017 and 2018. However, rental prices have not been immune to the ongoing regional challenges, notably lower oil prices, with rents dropping in 2017 for residential real estate, and remaining subdued for the...

In recent years there has been a strong push among Gulf nations to improve regional connectivity, with the proposed Gulf Railway – which will ultimately link Kuwait City with Muscat via Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE – perhaps the most ambitious of the projects under development. However, it is by no means alone, with substantial investment...

While 2017 saw the construction sector’s rapid growth slow somewhat, Bahrain has an impressive pipeline of construction projects lined up for the next few years. A strong focus on transportation and industrial infrastructure, as well as the construction of tens of thousands of affordable housing units, is expected to be among the key drivers...