Deputy King chairs EDB meeting
His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB) chaired at Riffa Palace today EDB 23rd meeting.
HRH the Crown Prince congratulated the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry) on the top global award for matching industrial vigour with care for the community and the environment. The company has been presented with the Lloyd’s List 2010 Award for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), for its care for its workers, the community and the environment. HRH the Crown Prince also congratulated Samer Al Majali for picking up 2010 award for “Aviation CEO of the Year” from the ITB International. The council, then, reviewed the outcome of the executive plans for this year.HRH Prince Salman urged to gauge challenges facing the national economy in order to meet aspired results.
The outcome shall conform with the vision of His Majesty the King who advocates a development that serves citizens first and foremost, he said.He also instructed to take necessary steps to carry out projects featuring in next year’s EDB executive plan. The kingdom’s economic strategy for the four coming years has been reviewed and updated in cooperation with ministries and government bodies, EDB Chief Executive Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa revealed in a round up presentation.He also highlighted the council’s activities and achievements over the past year. The EDB has also released Bahrain’s first annual economic report for 2009.It has also started publishing the second and third quarterly economic reports.
The EDB has followed up on the kingdom’s results as shown in global reports and indices, Shaikh Mohammed said adding that economic forums had also been provided with updated data on the business environment in Bahrain. The EDB and the Finance Ministry have worked jointly to link the state’s general budget with national priorities, he stressed.Ministries’ strategies will be reviewed to prioritize initiatives to be included in the next budget, he explained.
A strategy has also been put in place to overhaul the educational system-including higher education, he pointed out adding that the roadmap would be carried out in coordination with specialized authorities like the Higher Education Council, the University of Bahrain and the Education and Training Quality Assurance Authority.
The EDB has also teamed up with the Health Ministry to draw up a national plan to overhaul the health sector in Bahrain. Shaikh Mohammed also outlined efforts to promote housing services in cooperation with the private sector.Efforts have also been coordinated with the Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs Ministry to commission a consultative company in charge of implementing the kingdom’s strategic plan.
HRH the Crown Prince called to adopt strategies that foster genuine partnership between the public and private sectors. Regarding the council’s efforts to attract direct foreign investments, a total of 22 companies from the services and industrial sectors have been registered and are expected to generate around 670 new job opportunities, Shaikh Mohammed said.
Twenty other foreign firms are also likely to be registered within months, he declared.He also outlined results of the kingdom’s marketing campaigns abroad and efforts to promote relations with international mass media. The aim is to better project Bahrain’s presence at international gatherings, he said.Awareness campaigns of the Economic Vision 2030 have also been stepped up at schools, universities and NGOs, he added.
