Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) has signed up as a strategic partner for this year’s American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain (AmCham) Mena Regional Council’s bi-annual forum to be held in Manama next month.

The forum is aimed at promoting trade and investment between the US and markets of the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region including Bahrain, a leading regional financial and business hub.

The AmCham Bahrain' forum, which will be held at Ritz Carlton Bahrain from March 15 to 16, will focus this year on: “SMEs - Unlocking Economic Potential in the Mena Region.”

In line with its mandate to support economic growth in the kingdom, the EDB will work closely with AmCham in order to ensure the forum provides attending companies and investors with access to networks, information and prospects that help to support cross-border trade, investment and overall business growth, said the organisers.

Key to this will be the showcasing of opportunities for investment and partnerships with leading local, regional and international businesses based in Bahrain and neighbouring markets and the facilitation of B2B sessions and other initiatives that connect decision makers across a diverse range of sectors.

Those in focus at the Forum will include: financial services, energy, real estate, industrial manufacturing, retail, F&B, travel & leisure, technology and transportation, among others, they stated.

Khalid Al Rumaihi, the chief executive of the EDB, said: "Countries in the region are going through exciting economic shifts, as the economies move from a growth model driven by the public sector to one driven by private enterprise."

"We expect SMEs and startups to play an important role in driving this growth forward in the future. It is through events like this that we are able to connect with those companies and startups in order to enhance our entrepreneurship ecosystem to support their continued development," he added.

Qays H. Zu'bi, the president of AmCham Bahrain, said: "Leveraging the EDB’s unique role as a highly active and successful proponent of economic growth as well as their extensive links with leading regional and global businesses, we are confident that this year’s forum can serve as an important platform for the development and expansion of trade and investment among and between the markets of the Mena region, US and others globally."

"We are grateful for their cooperation and the strategic value that their input will create for the more than 400 expected attendees at the forum," he added.  

Participants are to include Mena Council member AmChams (Abu Dhabi-UAE, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia) as well as other regional US Business Councils (Dubai, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi), a broad range of international and regional business associations, US Chambers of Commerce and U.S. and MENA government representatives.

In addition to the opportunity to take part in B2B engagement, delegates and participating companies can also benefit from the insights and analysis that will be provided by high level keynote speakers and panellists at sessions covering a range of topics such as:
*SME’s as key drivers of economic development in the Mena region
*Assessment of key factors enabling the growth of SMEs in the region
*The integration of SMEs into the supply chain of U.S. and multinational companies in the region

The forum’s full agenda and further details will soon be announced and are being developed in cooperation with all regional AmChams with the support of the Mena Council Secretariat at AmCham Egypt.-TradeArabia News Service