In an exclusive Bridges Middle East 2009 focus day, the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Foundation, for the first time, will officially discuss the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Project.

The focus day, on November 22, will be an essential stage for all key stakeholders involved in the project.

The conference will be opened by Jaber Ali R Al-Mohannadi, general manager of the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Foundation. He will be joined by experts Rick Haggett, executive director, Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Management and Yanick Garillon, project director, Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Consortium.

Most notably, several of the foundation board directors as well as representatives of Bahraini and Qatari ministries affected by the project will be involved throughout the day as session commentators.

The Qatar-Bahrain Causeway solves an important part of the mobility challenge for Bahrain and Qatar, two vibrant economies in the growing Middle East market. The causeway connection enlarges each country's commerce, employment, education, tourism, and entertainment potential.

Responsibility for delivery of this project is entrusted to the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Foundation. The Foundation is comprised of four board members from each country.

In May 2008, a design/build consortium, officially known as Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Consortium, was selected by the Foundation to engage in the first step of a two-step award process.

In search of an international design, project, and construction management team capable of managing the bi-national project, the QBC Foundation selected KBR from the United States in September 2008. Supported by Halcrow (UK), as a major subcontractor, these two companies form the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Management team.

'It is fantastic that the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Foundation has taken on such an active role in this event,' stated Fiona Barron, conference director for Bridges Middles East 2009.

The focus day will cover key components of the project from design to execution, including: insight into the vision and history of the 'Friendship Bridge', exploring the development impacts of the causeway on Qatar and Bahrain, overcoming the challenges of building a multi-modal structure, and constructing the world's longest international sea crossing.-TradeArabia News Service