Tamkeen has signed an MoU with Bahrain-based Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE) to provide major financial assistance for the Bahraini firms taking part in HCE’s flagship trade fairs next year.

The strategic partnership is part of Tamkeen’s ‘Tarweej' growth assistance scheme for private sector companies in the Kingdom, said a statemment from Tamkeen.

Under the MoU with HCE, Tamkeen will subsidise 80 per cent of the total costs of Bahraini companies participating in HCE’s three flagship trade exhibitions in 2012, up to a maximum of BD 15,000 ($39,781) for small enterprises and BD 20,000 ($53,041) for medium and large enterprises.

Eligible applicants – who will apply for assistance directly through HCE - must have a valid commercial registration licence, meet LMRA quotas for Bahrainisation, and pay monthly LMRA fees, said a senior official.

A key component of Tamkeen’s Enterprise Development Support Programme (launched in November 2009 and which has since benefitted almost 600 companies), Tarweej seeks to encourage Bahraini enterprises to showcase their products and services at leading local, regional and international trade fairs and exhibitions.

HCE will be organising Gulf Industry Fair from February 7 to 9 and the gulfBID and Gulf Interiors exhibitions from April 24 to 26 next year at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Dr Ahmed Abdul Ghani Al Shaikh, Tamkeen vice president for Enterprise & Human Capital Development, said: 'Under the MoU, Tamkeen will provide training and consultation support to more than 200 beneficiaries of the Tarweej scheme, with the aim of making Bahraini companies more competitive in marketing their products and services.'

Al Shaikh said Tamkeen was looking to build on the best practices established by HCE’s three flagship events.

“This is a milestone agreement for Tamkeen, since by outsourcing the application process to HCE we ensure more money is concentrated in supporting companies by considerably reducing administration costs per application.”

“Tamkeen will deploy all its resources and energies to support economic and commercial activities which boost marketing and human capital development within Bahraini firms. These elements are at the heart of Tamkeen's mission to serve the different stakeholders of the community and to further boost the Kingdom’s economic development.”

HCE managing director Jubran Abdulrahman said: “Tamkeen and HCE share a common philosophy and vision to position Bahrain as the Northern Gulf’s premier business hub, thereby supporting Bahrainis to become the employees of choice, and to support high quality private sector job creation.'
 
'Today’s agreement demonstrates Tamkeen’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which sows the seeds for future economic prosperity,' Abdulrahman remarked.

'We will work closely with Tamkeen to ensure that our exhibitions give Bahraini SMEs a platform for prosperity and success,' he added.

Companies participating in HCE’s trade shows – which are geared to business-to-business (B2B) success - benefit from a highly targeted pre-show added value marketing and publicity campaign, via specialist trade journals, print media, newsletters and email marketing.-TradeArabia News Service