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The Gateway Gulf officially launched on May 9, 2018, under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Chairman of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), welcomed more than five hundred international investors and business leaders to Bahrain, to explore the business opportunities across the GCC.

Ministers from government entities were branded as ‘Team Bahrain’, to support the growth in the kingdom’s private sector.

With select senior investors, business executives and government leaders at the forum, the Deputy King, HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa expressed a warm welcome to the guests, emphasizing on the spirit and unity presented at the forum.

HRH the Deputy King, recognized the regional opportunities available to investors, including the kingdom’s successful projects were showcased during the forum, reflecting on Bahrain’s broader strategy to increase the role of the private sector in driving economic development. Over the course of the two days, Investment opportunities worth $26 billion will be presented at the forum.

Jassim Alsiddiqi, Chief Executive Officer, Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG), said, “We see tremendous opportunity in the coming years. The best risk/reward opportunity is here in the GCC. In our mind, political and economic risk in the GCC is much smaller than in the rest of the world. The margins are superior here compared globally.”

The forum attracted a large delegation from China to explore opportunities being created in line with the region’s strategic position. Furthermore, Bahrain is home to the regional bases of leading Chinese corporations including Huawei, Chinamex, CIMC, and Bank of China.

HE Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chief Executive of the EDB, said, “The government and the private sector need to work together to create solutions and unlock opportunities in the region. That means that government needs to change its approach, it needs to collaborate and be agile to respond to the changing opportunities being created. This is what we call our ‘Team Bahrain’ approach.”