logo
Parliamentarians push for tax breaks, incentives to turn Bahrain into a high-tech hub

Parliamentarians push for tax breaks, incentives to turn Bahrain into a high-tech hub

Daily Tribune22-02-2025

MPs are calling for tax exemptions, investment incentives, and streamlined regulations to attract global firms and position Bahrain as a leading high-tech hub.
The Financial and Economic Affairs Committee has backed the plan, arguing that it would diversify the economy, reduce reliance on oil, and create new job opportunities.
Proposed by MPs Ahmed Al Salloom, Khalid Buanaq, Mohammed Al Ma'arifi, and Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, the initiative calls for Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company to forge partnerships with private firms—both local and international—to develop homegrown expertise in advanced technologies.
The report highlights that high-tech industries are essential for economic sustainability, citing China, South Korea, and Singapore as examples of nations that have invested heavily in artificial intelligence, automation, and advanced manufacturing.
Key measures in the proposal include tax and customs exemptions to attract global companies, government procurement policies favouring local tech firms, and the establishment of research and training centres to equip Bahrainis with industry skills. The committee also recommends easing investment regulations and cutting bureaucracy to make Bahrain a more attractive destination for tech-driven businesses.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Financial relief for ‘single'
Financial relief for ‘single'

Daily Tribune

time3 days ago

  • Daily Tribune

Financial relief for ‘single'

A new push to include unmarried Bahrainis in public aid schemes aims to support those delaying marriage due to financial strain. The proposal, submitted to Parliament by a group of MPs, calls for single citizens to be brought into existing support programmes including the costof-living allowance, electricity and water subsidies, social housing and job training. 'Many unmarried Bahrainis are left out, though plenty are supporting their families,' said MP Hamad Al Doy. 'Some look after their parents, siblings or even grandparents. We have close-knit families in Bahrain, and support schemes should take that into account.' The MPs want eligible single Bahrainis to be considered for conditional financial aid, with assessments to take into account their household responsibilities and social situation. They also propose giving priority to unmarried applicants in employment and training schemes. Al Doy said the aim is to bring current rules in line with how people live today. 'People are marrying later than they used to, but many are still carrying heavy loads. Support shouldn't depend on your marital status,' he said. Help The lawmaker said limiting help to couples or families no longer matches the country's social make-up. Expanding the criteria, he added, would help keep things fair and steady. The MP closed by urging the government and concerned bodies to study the proposal carefully, saying it would benefit many younger Bahrainis and provide a wider safety net.

Bahrain Builds Crypto Hub
Bahrain Builds Crypto Hub

Daily Tribune

time3 days ago

  • Daily Tribune

Bahrain Builds Crypto Hub

TDT | Manama As Bitcoin rebounds globally, Bahrain is quietly building its own digital gold rush. Supported by progressive regulation and hightech infrastructure, the Kingdom is emerging as a serious contender in the global cryptocurrency mining market, and one Bahraini firm says it is only the beginning. Rising global role Crypto Miners, a company specialising in the sale, installation, and maintenance of mining equipment, says the sector's growing momentum within Bahrain is helping reinforce the Kingdom's position as a competitive regional hub with global potential. The company believes this development is also drawing more foreign direct investment into Bahrain's digital economy. 'Bahrain's financial ecosystem and regulatory clarity give us the ability to grow sustainably and export our services abroad,' said Wassim Saaduddin, Technical Sales Manager at Crypto Miners. He added that the Kingdom is uniquely placed to serve as a launchpad for international crypto operations, thanks to its policy stability and infrastructure. Infrastructure and awareness At the core of Crypto Miners' strategy is a vision to localise this high-tech industry, building critical infrastructure , training Bahraini talent , and supporting knowledge transfer. The company also sees awareness as essential to sustainable sector growth, and says it actively runs public engagement campaigns to help familiarise Bahrainis with digital currencies and blockchain. 'As part of our corporate social responsibility, we're committed to raising awareness about digital assets and creating safe, reliable investment pathways,' Saaduddin noted. Aligned with national vision Crypto Miners says its longterm efforts are in full alignment with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030, which prioritises innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable growth. The company believes that positioning Bahrain as a regional and global leader in crypto mining is not only realistic, but already in progress. With firms like Crypto Miners anchoring the sector, Bahrain appears to be gaining traction in a space once dominated by much larger economies.

Shura panel holds 36 meetings to scrutinise budget and tax bills
Shura panel holds 36 meetings to scrutinise budget and tax bills

Daily Tribune

time5 days ago

  • Daily Tribune

Shura panel holds 36 meetings to scrutinise budget and tax bills

Thirty-six meetings kept Shura's Financial and Economic Affairs Committee busy during its latest legislative session, with much of its attention fixed on the 2025–2026 state budget and a series of economic bills. Eight of those sittings were held jointly with members of the Council of Representatives and the government, as the two chambers worked through the details of the upcoming national budget. According to figures compiled by the Council's General Secretariat, the committee examined two decree-laws, reviewed 11 draft bills, and assessed four sets of final accounts and financial statements. Sixteen reports were completed and forwarded to the Council Bureau for inclusion in public sittings. It also issued five economic and financial opinions related to draft legislation examined by other panels, as permitted under Article 21 of the Council's internal rules. Among the decree-laws reviewed was Decree-Law No. 19 of 2023, amending the legislation that established the Bahrain National Oil Company in 1999. The second, Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024, introduced measures for taxing multinational enterprises operating in the country. The committee's work on draft legislation included a proposed amendment to Article 1 of the 2006 law concerning the Future Generations Reserve Fund. It also reviewed Bahrain's agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong to prevent double taxation and deter tax avoidance. Further bills addressed a revised agreement for the second stage of the Al Dur water transmission project, a draft law on taxing outward remittances from expats, and a consolidated proposal combining two versions of that same tax. Amendments to the 1987 Commercial Law were also considered, along with the proposed 2025–2026 budget law and revisions to the 1977 legislation on development bonds. The committee also studied a draft law ratifying Bahrain's agreement with the Islamic Development Bank to fund the new 400 kV Jasra Power Station, changes to the 2016 law on standards and metrology, and the proposed Secured Transactions Law. On matters of public finance, the committee reviewed the state's final accounts for the financial years ending December 2022 and 2023, along with implementation reports for the same period. It examined the Ministry of Finance's statements on budget transfers across government bodies. The audited financial statements of the Shura Council for 2024 were also reviewed, together with the 2023 financial report for the Unemployment Insurance Account, as approved by the Social Insurance Organisation's board. Two legislative proposals were also on the agenda. The first, submitted by Lina Habib, Dr Jehad Al Fadhel, Dalal Jassim Al Zayed, Hala Ramzi, and Hesham Al Qassab, sought changes to the 2012 Consumer Protection Law. The second, put forward by Dr Fatima Al Kooheji, Dr Mohammed Ali, Redha Faraj, Hala Ramzi, and Ijlal Isa Bubshait, called for the removal of Article 14 from the 1987 Commercial Law.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store