Business in Bahrain, Manama

The aims of the subject “Foreign Trade and Business in Bahrain” are the following:

1. To analyse the Bahraini Economy and Foreign Trade (Import, Export, FDI)
2. To know the business opportunities in Bahrain
3. To explore the Bahraini trade relations with the country of the student
4. To know the Bahraini Free Trade Agreements
5. To examine the profile of Bahraini businesspeople and companies
6. To develop a business plan for the Bahraini Market

Preferential Access and Free Trade Agreements of Bahrain

1. Bahrain and the Arab Economic Area
2. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
   1. European Union-Bahrain (GCC) FTA
   2. India-Bahrain (GCC) FTA
   3. Australia-Gulf Cooperation Council FTA
   4. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with China, Singapore, South Korea, European Free Trade Association (EFTA), New Zealand, Thailand, MERCOSUR.
3. United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement
4. Trade Preferential System (TPS-OIC)
5. Greater Arab Free-Trade Area (GAFTA)

Trade Facilitation Programs

1. World Trade Organisation (WTO)
   1. WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
   2. WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)
   3. WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
   4. WTO Agreement on Preshipment Inspection (PSI)
   5. WTO Agreement on Safeguards (SG)
   6. WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)
2. World Customs Organisation (WCO)
   1. Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC)
3. International Bureau of Containers and Intermodal Transport (BIC)
4. International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO, Chicago Convention)
5. International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

1. Access to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
2. Access to the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Iran Transport Corridor (KTAI-ECO)

Islamic Organisations

1. Arab League (LAS)
2. Summit of South American-Arab Countries (Bahrain)
3. Asia-Middle East Dialogue (Bahrain)
4. Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)
5. Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
6. Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
   1. Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC)
   2. Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI)
   3. Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT)
   4. Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC)
7. Afro-Arab Cooperation
8. Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)
9. Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organisations (AGFUND)
10. Arab Trade Financing Programme (ATFP)
11. Arab Development Funds

Global Organisations

1. Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD)
2. United Nations (UN)
   1. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
   2. International Trade Centre (INTRACEN)
   3. World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
3. World Bank (WB)
4. World Trade Organisation (WTO)
5. International Monetary Fund (IMF)
6. ...

The Kingdom of Bahrain.

1. Bahrain is an independent Emirate with a traditional Monarchy
2. System of Government: hereditary constitutional monarchy
   1. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
3. Arab is the official language of Bahrain
4. Bahraini Population
   1. 1.2 million people with 90% of urban population (90%)
   2. 50% of its residents are expatriates
5. Bahrain has the highest literacy rate in the Gulf Cooperation Council region
6. Bahrain is the country with a smaller population of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
7. Capital of Bahrain: Manama (27% of the Bahraini GDP)
8. Al Muharraq is the second most populous city of the Kingdom of Bahrain
9. Borders of Bahrain: Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
   1. Iran (by sea)
10. Abolition of Slavery in Bahrain: 1937
11. Independence of Bahrain from the United Kingdom: 1971

Religion in Bahrain.

1. Shiite Islam (70% of the population)
2. Islamic Jurisprudence (Sharia) is one of the main legislative sources
3. School (Fiqh): Maliki
4. There is no official religion in the Kingdom of Bahrain (freedom of belief)
5. 15% of the population of Bahrain is Christian and 10% Hindu

Bahrain belongs to the Arab Economic Area (Islamic Civilisation).

Manama is the capital of Bahrain and the economic and financial centre.

1. The main economic activity of Manama is related to the financial services, near 200 financial institutions and banks generate 27% of the gross domestic product of Bahrain (80% of the active population works in the financial sector)
2. Several multinational companies are in Manama

Bahraini Economy

Bahrain is the freest economy in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa), is the thirteenth position in the World.

1. The Aluminium industry is vital for Bahrain (13% of the total exports)
2. Some of the best companies in the World such as American Express, BNP Paribas, Kraft or DHL have been selected Bahrain as a strategic distribution location for regional operations

Bahraini Foreign Trade

1. Top Export Markets of Bahrain are Saudi Arabia, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea
2. Top suppliers of Bahrain are Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany, and the United States