Dr Fakhro, who lauded the role of the small businesses in the development of the national economy, honoured entrepreneurs who completed successfully joint orientation programme that was organized by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on the Bahrain Arab Model for Entrepreneurship and SME development from five African countries including Zambia, Eretria, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zanzibar. The ceremony was held at the Ministry premises, Seef area, and the Minister said that Bahrain has become a center for best practices on human development and entrepreneurship economic empowerment.
He added that sustainable development would be based on economically empowering of the people, and the level of its success can be measured by how much support it would be providing to the human capital.
“Promoting investment and developing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) requires well groomed entrepreneurs, who seek opportunities and challenge themselves to succeed, coupled with a set of added value services, and this is exactly what the Bahrain Arab Model methodology was able to do,” he said.
The Government of Bahrain has embarked on this strategic partnership with the UNIDO in 1999 to provide full support to potential entrepreneurs and all the components of Government have geared all their efforts towards achieving this goal.
He stated that based on our overwhelming success and achievements; many countries have requested our support in developing the Bahrain Arab Model in their respective countries. Thus, the programme is currently implemented in thirty two countries from Uruguay up to Sierra Leone and all the way to China.
Dr. Fakhro hoped that in the near future to announce the launch of the Bahrain Arab Model in other countries. “This is the only path that will lead to economic prosperity and job creation for our youth through joint investments and collaboration between entrepreneurs in our Region and other countries,” the Minister added.