Bahrain's MSME Day Forum Goes Global with Sarajevo Edition

The Bahrain Small and Medium Enterprises Society will hold the 14th International MSME Day Forum in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 6 and 7, marking the first time the event is hosted outside Bahrain.

The forum is organised in cooperation with the World Union of Small and Medium Enterprises Organizations (UNISMEO) and the Chamber of Economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with support from the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Dr. Abdulhassan Hassan Al Dairi, Chairman of the Bahrain Small and Medium Enterprises Society and President of UNISMEO, said the event reflects Bahrain's pioneering role in promoting the small and medium enterprises sector.

He noted that Bahrain began celebrating MSME Day in 2010, years before the United Nations officially declared June 27 as International MSME Day in 2017. He added that the society approached the United Nations in 2016 to propose establishing a global day recognising the importance of small and medium enterprises.

Dr. Al Dairi expressed appreciation to the Government of Bahrain, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for its continued support of the SME sector and entrepreneurship. He also thanked government and private sector partners for helping sustain and expand the initiative over the years.

This year's forum will be held under the theme "MSMEs in a Green Digital Economy and Global Changes in Supply Chains." Speakers will discuss the challenges facing small businesses, including global economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions.

The two-day programme will include five panel sessions, an opening ceremony, a book launch by a UNISMEO board member from Nigeria, and the announcement of recommendations aimed at supporting SMEs, particularly micro-enterprises, and strengthening their resilience in a rapidly changing global economy.

Mirsad Jašarević, President of the Chamber of Economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina and President of UNISMEO Bosnia, welcomed the partnership with Bahrain in hosting the international forum and said the event would provide a platform for sharing ideas and solutions to support the growth and sustainability of SMEs worldwide.