Bahrain will implement mega projects worth $32 billion in the coming years to boost the kingdom's economic development efforts, it has been announced.

His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa made the announcement as he laid the foundation stone for the $1.1-billion project to expand the Bahrain International Airport, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, said a Bahrain News Agency report.

HRH Premier asserted that the development and nation-building process will continue unabated in all sectors, particularly infrastructure, stressing that all potentials will be harnessed to boost efforts aimed at supporting the national economy and generating more job opportunities for the citizens, the report said.

The airport expansion project, which is the largest in the history of civil aviation in Bahrain, will increase the airport's capacity to 14 million passengers a year.

He  added that the project will consolidate Bahrain's economic and tourism status and increase its competitive potentials as an outstanding hub for logistics services in the region.

"We face economic challenges by launching more development projects that revitalise the national economy and reflect positively on our potentials to spur growth and diversify revenue sources," he said, stressing that no challenges will impede the government's tireless efforts to implement the citizen-oriented policies.

The Bahrain International Airport expansion is the outcome of the cooperation between GCC countries, through the GCC Development Fund, HRH Premier was quoted as saying by BNA.

The airport expansion includes a new passenger terminal covering an area of 201,467 sq m, making it four times the size of the existing terminal.

It also features 24 air bridges, airport aprons, departure halls, check-in counters, passport control booths, security lanes, the duty free, jetty-served departure gates, passport control booths, e-Gates, baggage reclaim belts and car parks.