In 1978, Bahrain registered a global precedent when it adopted for the first time a budget that extends for two years, in a move praised by prestigious international institutions, led by the International Monetary Fund, where it was the first country in the world at the time that adopts this system, and today we are witnessing Bahrain continuing this advanced approach through the adoption of the general budget for the two -year -old 2025 -2026, but in a careful economic circumstance that requires more planning Realistic and bolder decisions.
Today, after more than four decades, the experience is renewed under more complex circumstances, and in an international economic context characterized by fluctuations and credit rating pressure.
The adoption of the state’s budget for the two financial years 2025-2026 is nothing more than a procedural transit in the corridors of the legislation, but rather the fruit of seven joint meetings between the executive and legislative authorities, which witnessed a serious discussion, intense deliberations, and an accurate arrangement of state priorities.
Since the first meeting in October, the Ministry of Finance and National Economy team began its work transparently and efficiently, based on coordination mechanisms with various government agencies, and the principle of professional institutional work, and this movement intensified with the entry of the month of Ramadan, as the meetings continued at a high rate and worked tireless by the team to the dawn hours and the weekends, led by His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, who was not satisfied with managing the file, but rather He fought in dedication, and he deserved the title of “dynamo” as described by member Khaled Al -Muscati, head of the Finance Committee during the Shura Council session.
This budget is the largest in the history of Bahrain in terms of allocations for projects, housing and health built on a financial philosophy of a balance between development spending and financial discipline, and achieving sustainability without prejudice to social justice, in light of difficult economic conditions in the world.
Improving the standard of living of the citizen came at the top of the priorities of this budget as a foundational principle that has been translated in its exact details, as the government was keen to preserve all the existing communications to citizens, and even enhanced it with the addition of a qualitative addition to raise the bonus of retirees by 40 dinars, in a move that reflects the state’s commitment to its social responsibility and its continuation in promoting living protection, even in light of accurate financial conditions.
In its economic dimension, this budget responds to the pressures of the moment, especially after the “Fitch” agency for the future view of Bahrain to “negative”, and the challenge today was not in avoiding the direct repercussions of this classification, but rather in managing the financial messages directed to the markets, by continuing to achieve a preliminary surplus for the third year in a row, after the deficit in 2018 exceeded more than one billion dinars.
This budget was also distinguished by the introduction of innovative programs, announced by the Minister of Labor, and aimed at employing 25,000 Bahraini annually, including 8,000 new graduates, in addition to comprehensive enabling support for 50,000 citizens through training and financing programs during the budget year, and these numbers emphasize Bahrain’s commitment to direct investment in human capital, and ensuring the dynamic of the labor market.
It is calculated for His Excellency the Minister of Finance and National Economy the political flexibility that he showed during the deliberations, whether by agreeing to amend some items, or in response to the request of deputies during the session to spend the increase for retirees retroactively, which reflects a reformist mentality capable of containing legislative priorities within the executive framework without prejudice to the state’s financial balances.
In a parallel aspect of no less important than numbers and policies, a remarkable scene has emerged that reflects an advanced societal maturity: popular interaction with the budget project was not emotional, but was mostly characterized by awareness and responsibility, despite the attempts of some platforms and accounts in social media directing the discussion towards excitement or skepticism, the general mood remained balanced, driven by collective realization that economic files require Agreements of slogans.
This increased awareness, which we monitored through reactions, analyzes and general comments, did not come from a vacuum, but rather a fruit of a democratic path that Bahrain has established during the past years, and produced a more open and open political and economic environment, and this puts a clear future challenge before the state: continuing to build confidence through transparency, and promoting community partnership in formulating priorities, because the equation is no longer limited to The decision maker alone, but the citizen has become an effective part of the financial and economic stability equation.
