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Focus on Bahrain's private sector

Manama : The upcoming Government Action Plan will focus on re-igniting the Kingdom’s economic growth by stimulating private sector as the primary driver, said Minister of Cabinet Affairs, yesterday. 

The effort will be to redefine the “role of the public sector from the primary engine of economic growth into a private sector enabler and regulator – particularly across the tourism, logistics, manufacturing, ICT, and financial services sectors,” Mohammed bin Ebrahim Al Mutawa said. 

The Minister was speaking during a Coordination meeting held to identify key objectives and priorities for the Government Action Plan for 2019-2022 as per the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. 

The upcoming plan, the Minister said, will help facilitate innovation, increase competitiveness and continue to invest in citizens to further improve living standards. 

Yesterday’s meeting was also the first in a series of meetings focused on the development of the strategic infrastructure projects across the Kingdom. The forum outlined the government’s progress in implementing initiatives and programmes within the current Government Action Plan (2015 – 2018).

Explaining further, the minister said that the government-led initiatives are focused on improving citizens’ living standards and that the continued support of “His Royal Highness the Prime Minister’s is central to the success and delivery of effective development projects.” 

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Regarding specific government activities that will help to achieve these goals, the Minister said that the government has devised four tools for the purpose. These include: Enhancing public services, Enhancing Legislative and Regulatory frameworks, Simplification of government procedures and continuing infrastructure investment. 

Elaborating, the minister said that improving “housing, healthcare and educational services and the transformation of government services into state-of-the-art e-services” will get priority. 

The meeting also reviewed recommendations on infrastructure strategies submitted by various ministries and departments.

The final outcomes will be handed over to the Ministerial Committee for Construction and Infrastructure for approval, which will be discussed at the first workshop, next week.