Cabinet Approves Social Support Measures Ahead of Ramadan

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting at Gudaibiya Palace.

At the outset, the Cabinet commended the speech delivered by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa during His Majesty’s patronage of the Bahrain First Festival 2026. The Cabinet also praised the organisational efforts of the Ministry of Education, as well as the contributions of students and parents, which contributed to the festival’s success.

Marking the 58th anniversary of the establishment of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), the Cabinet lauded the BDF’s continued progress in enhancing combat readiness, attributing these achievements to the unwavering support of His Majesty the King, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

The Cabinet noted the success of the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, which was hosted by the Kingdom under the patronage of His Majesty the King. It also congratulated His Majesty on the national handball team’s historic victory in the Asian Handball Championship, the first in Bahrain’s history, extending congratulations to the players as well as the technical and administrative staff.

The Cabinet further commended the success of the Crown Prince’s Cup Festival, highlighting the role of the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) High Committee, chaired by His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Court. The Cabinet also congratulated the winners of the festival.

In addition, the Cabinet praised the outcomes of the 36th Autumn Fair, noting strong growth compared to 2025. Operations increased by 112.6 percent, the number of exhibitors rose by 15.7 percent, participating countries increased by 8.3 percent, and exhibition space expanded by 40 percent, reflecting growing attendance and engagement.

In observance of the holy month of Ramadan, HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister directed that financial support for eligible recipients of social security and disability allowances be doubled. His Royal Highness instructed the Ministry of Social Development to disburse the support ahead of Ramadan to ensure adequate living standards, particularly for low-income citizens.

Within the framework of constructive cooperation with the legislative authority, the Cabinet approved an amendment to the electricity consumption tariff for usage between 5,000 and 7,000 units, setting the tariff at 16 fils per unit instead of 32 fils per unit for citizens’ primary residences.

On the occasion of World Interfaith Harmony Week, the Cabinet reaffirmed Bahrain’s commitment to promoting peace, tolerance, coexistence and dialogue. On National Environment Day, it stressed its dedication to implementing projects and programmes that support environmental objectives and encourage community participation in sustainability efforts.

The Cabinet then reviewed several memoranda submitted by the Civil Service Council, the Deputy Prime Minister, ministerial committees and ministers, approving measures that included the restructuring of several government entities to enhance efficiency, proposals to develop the aviation sector, a memorandum of understanding on financial and economic cooperation with the Republic of Uzbekistan, and an agreement with the United Arab Emirates to exchange expertise in Cabinet affairs.

The Cabinet also reviewed ministerial reports covering the latest developments in the use of smart cameras, Bahrain’s participation in the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, the Doha Legal Forum, and the Real Estate Future Forum, as well as an assessment of the Kingdom’s events calendar for 2026. In addition, it reviewed reports on ministers’ external engagements and official visits by foreign dignitaries to Bahrain during February 2026.