Over 144 enterprises are expected to benefit from Al-Basta Market, a joint initiative between Tamkeen and Bahrain’s Southern Governorate, which is set to open doors to the public on February 22.

The initiative aims to spur trade activity in the area by establishing a modern and fully-equipped marketplace that will serve as an important destination for traders and residents, a statement from Tamkeen said.

The announcement came in a press conference attended by Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khalifa, governor of the Southern Governorate; Mohammed Bucheery, Tamkeen senior manager, private sector support; Dr Hashim Hussein, head of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) in Bahrain; Dr Waheed Al-Qassem CEO of Ebdaa Bank; and other senior officials.

The market will be located next to Riffa Views, and the project will go on for three-months.

Tamkeen's support in this project is part of its efforts to develop enterprises in the private sector to make it the key engine of economic development, the statement said.

The project targets startups and micro-enterprises as well as farmers in the Southern Governorate. Tamkeen will contribute BD 60,000 ($159,151) to the project's total budget of BD 100,000.

More than 66,000 Bahraini citizens and enterprises have benefited from Tamkeen's various support programmes to date, and the number is expected to rise to 100,000. – TradeArabia News Service