Two days ago, the third edition of the Gulf Gate Forum was held in the presence of prominent figures in the business sector and senior economic experts. The conference witnessed the granting of 4 golden licenses, the signing of more than 40 agreements, and more than 60 strategic announcements, with a total value exceeding $17 billion, compared to $12 billion announced in the second edition of the same forum.
The name chosen for this forum, “Gulf Gateway,” did not come out of nowhere. Here we see Bahrain having succeeded in transforming its geographical location into real added value, becoming truly the Gulf Gateway for investment, and a bridge linking regional and global visions in light of the accelerating technological, environmental and financial transformations.
This work is also supported by soldiers from the Economic Development Board cadres who have proven their success in gathering this distinguished global elite under one roof for 48 hours, in order to reach the goal announced by His Excellency the Minister of Finance and National Economy, Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.
In fact, construction began early in the Kingdom, as Bahrain has sought for many years to develop a digital infrastructure that supports the transformation we see today towards the digital economy. Among the most prominent projects that confirm this trend is the investment of $320 million in information and communications technology infrastructure projects, including the “Africa Pearls2” submarine cable that connects Bahrain to 33 countries through 46 connection points, and the establishment of an environmentally friendly regional data center in Bahrain to provide technological solutions and host advanced technology and digital transformation solutions.
The development does not stop there. Rather, national legislation is keeping pace with the acceleration taking place around the world, and advanced regulatory frameworks and proactive policies have contributed to strengthening Bahrain’s position. This was clearly evident when the performance of the Kingdom of Bahrain improved by 10 places in the Global Innovation Index. The Kingdom ranked fifth globally in the Greenfield Foreign Direct Investments Performance Index and the Financial Skills Index according to the Global Talent Classification. Bahrain ranked first in the Arab world and 29th globally in the Financial Inclusion Index, and second. Arab level in the quality of life index for the year 2025.
Bahrain is making remarkable progress in the field of smart cities, as Manama ranked 36th in the world in the smart cities classification, and this was reflected in the real estate sector deals within the activities of the Gulf Gate Forum. Bahrain is moving to launch the largest solar energy project of its kind in the world on industrial rooftops, with a production capacity of up to 123 megawatts, to enhance its investments in the field of renewable energy.
All these indicators, initiatives and efforts made by the Bahrain team are in the interest of the nation and the citizen, and have resulted in the volume of investments announced at the forum, which is growing year after year, and it is certain that the future holds more and more.
