Tamkeen Turns 20, Charts Bold 2026–2030 Path

Bahrain’s Labour Fund, Tamkeen, has unveiled its new strategy for 2026–2030, marking its 20th anniversary with a commitment to driving national development and strengthening the private sector as a key engine of the economy.

The launch, announced at a press conference attended by ministers, business leaders, and senior executives from both public and private sectors, outlined Tamkeen’s vision for the next phase of growth. The strategy focuses on supporting priority sectors and future skills to maximize impact, generate positive returns, and benefit both the national economy and Bahrainis in line with evolving national priorities.

Her Excellency Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez, Chief Executive of Tamkeen, highlighted the Fund’s contributions over the past two decades. “Tamkeen has played a vital role in creating an enabling environment for private sector growth,” she said, noting that strategic investments in workforce development and enterprise support have allowed businesses to expand, compete, and achieve long-term sustainability.

Since its inception, Tamkeen has contributed over BHD 2.6 billion to the national economy, supported more than 300,000 opportunities for Bahrainis, and assisted over 92,000 enterprises. The Fund has also facilitated approximately BHD 920 million in loans and financing support.

The 2026–2030 strategy is built around four main priorities: focusing on areas with the highest economic returns, linking skills development with labor market opportunities, adopting innovative approaches to private sector growth, and enhancing operational efficiency and governance. The strategy was developed using extensive assessments, beneficiary feedback, regional and international benchmarks, and future labor market trend analyses.

Alya Al Aali, Deputy Chief Executive for Strategy and Insights, explained that the strategy will be implemented through a set of carefully designed initiatives, guided by clear performance standards and measurement indicators. She also announced the upcoming launch of the “Tamkeen Bahrain” mobile app, which will provide an integrated digital experience for beneficiaries.

Khalid Al Bayat, Deputy Chief Executive for Program Design and Delivery, added that new programs aligned with the 2026–2030 strategy are currently under development and will be announced soon. He highlighted that Tamkeen’s updated approach will focus on six key objectives: enhancing Bahraini skills, enabling labor market access, providing employment incentives, supporting startups, driving SME growth, and reinventing business models.

This marks Tamkeen’s sixth strategic cycle, reflecting its ongoing efforts to adapt to labor market dynamics, support private sector growth, and empower local talent to drive Bahrain’s economic development.