Growth gateway

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB) is stepping up its global investment diplomacy with a strategic three-day visit to Germany, aimed at deepening economic ties and spotlighting the Kingdom’s role as one of the Gulf’s most agile gateways for European companies expanding into the Middle East.

Led by Her Excellency Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, the Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of the Bahrain EDB, the trip brings senior officials and sector specialists to engage German business leaders across advanced manufacturing, logistics, and next-generation industry.

H.E. Alkhulaif said: “Germany and Bahrain share a relationship anchored in innovation, engineering excellence, and longterm economic partnership. This visit is about unlocking the next chapter, creating pathways for German companies to scale across the Middle East from a stable, efficient, and high-connectivity base in Bahrain.”

Investment relations

Ties between Bahrain and Germany continue to expand, with robust economic and investment relations.

Bilateral non-oil trade reached over $550 million in 2024, while German FDI stock surpassed $150 million, driven by rising interest in Bahrain and the wider Gulf market.

German firms already play a significant role in Bahrain’s manufacturing and logistics ecosystem. Companies including DHL (operating its MENA hub in Bahrain), DB Schenker, BASF, Armacell, RMA Pipeline Equipment, and Kuehne + Nagel have expanded through the Kingdom’s strategic location, competitive operational costs, and a regulatory environment consistently ranked among the region’s most business-friendly.

Bahrain is increasingly capturing the attention of German investors thanks to its unique position as a launchpad into the $2 trillion GCC market, with direct proximity to Saudi Arabia offering unmatched regional access.

The Kingdom combines its strategic location with a skilled, multilingual workforce - the highest national participation in the private sector across the GCC - providing global companies with strong local talent to scale their operations.

Complementing these advantages is Bahrain’s logistics network, which offers seamless multimodal connectivity by air, sea, and causeway, enabling same-day reach to major GCC cities and making the Kingdom one of the region’s most efficient operational hubs.