Doing Business in Bahrain

Subject (Course): Foreign Trade and Business in Bahrain. Bahraini economy. Syllabus:

1. Introduction to the Kingdom of Bahrain (the Middle East).
2. Doing Business in Manama.
3. Bahraini economy.
4. The main economic sectors in Bahrain
5. Economic Vision 2030.
6. Foreign Trade of Bahrain.
7. Bahrain Customs
8. Business Opportunities in Bahrain.
   - Financial and professional services
   - Logistics
   - Manufacturing
   - Information, communications, and technology
   - Real Estate
9. Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB)
10. Market access
11. Case Study:
    - Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group
    - Mumtalakat
12. Introduction to Arabic
13. Business Plan for Bahrain

Objectives of the subject "Doing Business in Bahrain":

1. To analyze the Bahraini economy and foreign trade
2. To evaluate business opportunities in Bahrain
3. To explore Bahrain's trade relations with the student's country
4. To know Bahrain's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
5. To examine the profile of Bahrain businesspeople and companies
6. To develop a business plan for the Bahrain Market

Sample of the subject "Doing Business in Bahrain":

Subject Description - International Trade and Doing Business in Bahrain:

Bahrain: freest economy in the MENA region.

The Kingdom of Bahrain.

1. Bahrain is an independent Emirate with a traditional Monarchy.
2. System of Government: hereditary constitutional monarchy
3. The King: His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
4. Arab is the official language.
5. Population: 1,2 millions of people with 90% of urban population (90%); 50% of its residents are expatriates
6. Highest literacy rate in the Gulf Cooperation Council region
7. Bahrain is the country with a smaller population of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
8. Capital: Manama (27% of Bahrain’s GDP)
9. Al Muharraq is the second most populous city of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
10. Freedom of belief
11. Borders of Bahrain: Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Iran (by sea).
12. Abolition of slavery in Bahrain: 1937
13. Independence 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) majority is the Maliki
4. There is no official religion in the Kingdom of Bahrain (freedom of belief)
5. 15% of the population is Christian and 10% Hindu

Bahrain belongs to the Arab Economic Area of the Islamic Civilization.

Manama is the capital of Bahrain and his economic and financial center.

1. The main economic activity of Manama is related to the financial services, near 200 financial institutions and banks generate the 27% of the gross domestic product of Bahrain (the 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 (the Middle East and North Africa), occupying the thirteenth position in the World.

1. The aluminum industry is vital (13% of the total exports of Bahrain).
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 location for regional operations of distribution.

Bahraini Foreign Trade.

1. Top export markets of Bahrain: Saudi Arabia, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea.
2. Top suppliers of Bahrain: Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany, and the United States.

Bahrain has preferential access to the following markets:

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

Regional institutions of Bahrain.

1. Arab League
2. Summit of South American-Arab Countries (Bahrain)
3. Asia-Middle East Dialogue (Bahrain)
4. Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD)
5. Afro-Arab cooperation
6. Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)
7. Islamic Development Bank
8. Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
9. Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
10. Arab Gulf Program for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND)

Bahrain is a member of the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank (WB)

The United States-Bahrain FTA:

The European Union Bahrain Agreement:

India-Bahrain Agreement: