HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister chairs the weekly Cabinet Meeting

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today chaired the weekly Cabinet Meeting, held at Gudaibiya Palace.

The Cabinet commended the outcomes of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s meeting with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, emphasising the significance of advancing the longstanding Bahrain–UAE partnership. The Cabinet expressed its gratitude and appreciation for the UAE’s support in enhancing the Kingdom’s capabilities in addressing current challenges.

The Cabinet highlighted the importance of the meeting held between His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as the discussions held between HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of the UK, which focused on strengthening the historic relationship between the two nations.

The Cabinet expressed its appreciation to the United Kingdom for its active participation in efforts to counter the hostile Iranian aggression, which violates international law, and commended Prime Minister Starmer’s support for the security and stability of Bahrain.

His Royal Highness directed that the necessary legal and constitutional measures be taken to refer a draft law aimed at ensuring the payment of Bahraini salaries insured in private sector companies for April from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, in support of preserving employment levels, aiding the private sector and ensuring economic growth.

The Cabinet commended the Central Bank of Bahrain’s (CBB) announcement, in line with the directives of His Royal Highness, of a loan repayment postponement, as well as a liquidity provision and support programme, which includes a range of measures to bolster the Kingdom’s fiscal position.

The Cabinet commended the signing of the currency swap agreement between the CBB and the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE), covering the Bahraini dinar (BHD) and the UAE dirham (AED).

The Cabinet then extended its appreciation to the Bahrain Defence Force, the National Guard, the Ministry of Interior, and military, security, and civil entities in recognition of their efforts in safeguarding the Kingdom’s sovereignty, security, and national interests with efficiency and professionalism.

The Cabinet reiterated its condemnation of the hostile Iranian aggression targeting the Kingdom and the region, which undermines the security and safety of citizens and residents, reaffirming Bahrain’s steadfast position calling for Iran’s full commitment to the immediate cessation of hostilities in the region and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Cabinet then reviewed memorandums submitted by ministerial committees, approving the following:

1.⁠ ⁠The Kingdom of Bahrain’s Quarterly Economic Report for 2025, which indicated a year-on-year real GDP growth of 3.5% in 2025, driven by a 4.1% increase in non-oil activities.
2.⁠ ⁠An agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Swiss Federal Council on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments.
3.⁠ ⁠A draft resolution amending certain provisions related to the services of the General Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs.
4.⁠ ⁠Labour market indicators for the first quarter of 2026, reflecting outcomes aligned with agreements reached with the Legislative Authority during discussions of the State Budget for the fiscal years 2025–2026, and within the framework of the National Labour Market Plan 2023-2026. The indicators showed that 23% of the annual target of employing 25,000 Bahrainis has been achieved, while 18% of the target of integrating 10,000 new Bahraini entrants into the labour market has been achieved. In terms of training, 26% of the annual target of training 15,000 Bahrainis has been accomplished.
5.⁠ ⁠The government’s response to several draft laws and proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives.

The Cabinet also reviewed the following material reports:

1.⁠ ⁠The outcomes of Bahrain’s participation in the United Nations Security Council voting session on the draft resolution concerning freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
2.⁠ ⁠The outcomes of Bahrain’s participation in the United Nations Security Council session on cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States.
3.⁠ ⁠The outcomes of Bahrain’s participation in the United Nations Security Council session on cooperation between the United Nations and the GCC.
4.⁠ ⁠The outcomes of participation in the ministerial consultative meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with the Russian Federation.
5.⁠ ⁠The outcomes of Bahrain’s participation in the extraordinary meeting of the Ministers responsible for tourism in the GCC to discuss the impact of the hostile Iranian attacks on the Gulf tourism sector.