The Middle East

In recent years Bahrain has seen the introduction of a series of laws designed to further develop the kingdom’s financial sector, facilitate local and foreign investment, and promote Bahrain as a transparent, secure and cost-effective place to do business in the MENA region. Contains a viewpoint from Hatim Q Zu’bi, Zu’bi & Partners Attorneys & Legal Consultants.

Bahrain boasts one of the most-developed telecommunications markets in the region, and the authorities are planning for further infrastructure upgrades, including the rollout of an ultra-fast broadband network across the country. Work is under way to develop the kingdom as a regional ICT hub, with a particular focus on areas such as the cloud, e-commerce, gaming, cybersecurity and the local start...

Although major health indicators have improved in recent decades, a growing and ageing population, an elevated incidence of non-communicable diseases and rising care costs have weighed on Bahrain’s health sector in recent years. The government is currently making major strides in addressing these challenges, however, most notably through the planned rollout of a national health insurance system,...

Bahrain’s education sector benefits from regionally strong and improving student outcomes, rising K-12 and private school enrolment, and an expansive, ongoing reform agenda aimed at improving the quality of teaching and infrastructure across all levels. Investment in the sector is set to soar over the medium term, bolstered by the high-potential pre-school and kindergarten segments, as well as...

Benefitting from a diverse portfolio of tourist draws including UNESCO World Heritage sites, the popular Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix event and a variety of high-end retail developments and hotels, Bahrain’s tourism sector has been an economic success story in recent years. Visitor numbers, revenues and investments have been on an upwards trajectory since 2016, and authorities have...

Bahrain is one of the most diversified economies in the GCC region, due in large part to a well-established manufacturing industry. The kingdom’s biggest industrial segment by far is aluminium production, and its importance is set to grow further with the launch in 2019 of a new pot line at national aluminium producer Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), which will increase the firm’s capacity by nearly...