CP CHAIRS EDB MEETING

CROWN PRINCE AND CHAIRMAN OF THE ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT BOARD (EDB) SHAIKH SALMAN BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA CHAIRED THE EDB MEETING  AT RIFFA PALACE TODAY.

HE CALLED FOR BENEFITING FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF BROTHERLY STATES,  NOTING THAT HIS LAST VISIT TO THE UAE AIMED TO BOLSTER BILATERAL TIES  AND EXCHANGE OF EXPERTISE IN ALL FIELDS.

THE CROWN PRINCE ORDERED INCREASE OF EXPENDITURE ON INFRASTRUCTURE  PROJECTS TO KEEP THE KINGDOM PIONEERING IN THE FIELD. THE MEETING REVIEWED THE ATTAINMENTS MADE THROUGHOUT THE PREVIOUS SIX  MONTHS, MAINLY IN FOLLOWING UP ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ECONOMIC  VISION 2030 AND THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC STRATEGY, COVERING ALL ECONOMIC,  FINANCIAL, BANKING, TOURISM AND OTHER AREAS.

THE CROWN PRINCE UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING UP ON THE  IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES, DEVELOPING MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS IN  ALL ESTABLISHMENTS AND HONING JOURNALISTS’ SKILLS, POINTING OUT TO THE  WORKSHOPS BEING HELD BY THE EDB TO TRAIN GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE  SECTORS’ OFFICIALS.

DISCUSSIONS RANGED FROM DIAGNOSIS OF THE ECONOMIC SITUATION,  EVALUATION OF SERVICE STANDARDS TO THE STIMULATION OF THE PRIVATE  SECTOR’S ROLE IN THE NATIONAL ECONOMY. THE IMPACT OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL MELTDOWN AND HOW DIFFICULTIES WERE MET  AND SOLUTIONS SOUGHT WERE ALSO DISCUSSED.

IT WAS AGREED TO AVOID BUREAUCRACY AND TO ATTRACT LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL  INVESTORS THROUGH FACILITIES AND EASY REGULATIONS. THE MEETING UNDERLINED THE NEED FOR LOCAL COMPANIES TO OFFER FIRST CLASS  SERVICES AND PRODUCTS TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH THE COMPANIES OF THE  COUNTRIES WITH WHICH BAHRAIN HAS SIGNED FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS AND CALLED  ON BANKS TO FINANCE NEW PROJECTS.

AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION, THE CROWN PRINCE ORDERED WRITING DOWN  THE RAISED TOPICS, PROPOSALS, POLICIES AND SOLUTIONS FOR DISCUSSION IN  THE UPCOMING MEETING IN ORDER TO SEE HOW TO OVERCOME EXISTING OBSTACLES.