United Nations in Bahrain

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. With 21 United Nations Entities represented in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the work of the United Nations encompasses all 17 SDGs.

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13 December 2024

On Human Rights Day, a UN-facilitated Workshop Highlights Human Rights in Artificial Intelligence

"Human rights must be placed at the core of AI", Acting Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom of Bahrain Ahmed Ben Lassoued said during a symposium on "Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights" organised Thursday by Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mark Human Rights Day (10 December), in cooperation with the United Nations International Telecommunication Union Middle East Office.Ben Lassoued affirmed that globally coordinated AI governance is the only way to harness AI for humanity's benefit while addressing the associated risks and challenges, stressing the role of the United Nations, including fostering digital collaboration, supporting the global exchange of best practices, building capacity in AI, and safeguarding human rights within and through AI."The United Nations Charter and international law serve as valuable foundations for the United Nations' work in promoting cooperation in artificial intelligence, including adjusting frameworks and leading global discussions on this vital issue."The new United Nations Strategic Cooperation Framework between the United Nations and the Government of Bahrain for 2025-2029 highlights the country's advancements in digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and financial inclusion as pivotal opportunities to drive progress across multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).By strategically leveraging these key enablers, the framework will seek to accelerate SDG implementation, strongly emphasising integrating youth as active contributors to the development process.The symposium was organised in partnership with the International Telecommunications Union's Regional Office for the Arab States. It enabled a productive exchange with partners from the Government of Bahrain, the United Nations, and the Civil Society to develop frameworks and guidelines safeguarding human rights within and through AI.Mr Adel Darwish, ITU Regional Director for the Arab States, addressed opportunities and risks related to artificial intelligence, highlighting the efforts of the ITU and the United Nations in increasing awareness of artificial intelligence and how to use it optimally, in addition to shedding light on the ethical and legal frameworks in this regard.

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02 December 2024

The UN in Bahrain Holds a Leadership Engagement Session on Disability Inclusion

On the eve of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed on 3rd December, the United Nations Country Team in Bahrain conducted an internal leadership engagement session on Monday dedicated to streamlining disability inclusion in the work of the United Nations in Bahrain. "At the United Nations in Bahrain, we recognise the need for participation, representation and inclusion of persons with disabilities at all levels, and their right to shape the conditions of their lives actively," said the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Khaled El Mekwad. "The need to include persons with disabilities is more apparent now than ever. The complete realisation of the human rights of all persons with disabilities is an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights and fundamental freedoms," he said, highlighting the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy.The strategy provides the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion through all pillars of the work of the United Nations. The session underscored the importance of inclusion not only in policies affecting persons with disabilities but in all areas of the United Nations. Representatives from UN entities in Bahrain, attending virtually and in person, reflected on the various initiatives undertaken to strengthen the participation and leadership of persons with disabilities, including training programmes and forging partnerships to integrate and promote disability inclusion.The session also emphasized Bahrain's pioneering role in including persons with disabilities, underscoring that the Kingdom was one of the first countries to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007 (acceded in 2011). The United Nations and Bahrain have a long-standing cooperation in disability inclusion, including designing and implementing the Action Plan of the National Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2022-2026), launched by the Government in 2023.The theme of the 2024 celebration is Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future. The leadership of persons with disabilities is epitomised by the global disability rights movement's slogan, "Nothing About Us Without Us". It connotes the basic requirements of participation, representation, and inclusion and calls for persons with disabilities to shape their living conditions actively."Persons with disabilities already disproportionately bear the brunt of the crises scarring our world — from conflicts and climate disasters to poverty and inequalities — because of persistent discrimination, stigma, and barriers to basic rights and services. But they are also often denied their right to contribute to solutions to these crises," the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.He recalled that at the recently adopted Pact for the Future, held in September at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the world's countries committed to correcting this injustice for persons with disabilities of all ages, for present and future generations."On this important day, and every day, let's work with persons with disabilities to achieve an inclusive and sustainable future for all people," Mr Guterres said.

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24 November 2024

Bahrain UN Country Team Gender Theme Group Strategises Advancing Gender Equality in 2025

Since its establishment in 2023, the Gender Theme Group (GTG) of the Bahrain UN Country Team (UNCT) has been driving efforts to enhance gender mainstreaming efforts across the UN’s work in Bahrain. With a commitment to achieving tangible results for women and girls, the GTG recently held a two-day strategic retreat to review achievements and set ambitious priorities for 2025.UN Women and United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) as co-chairs of the GTG, led the retreat with the participation of UN-Habitat, OHCHR, IOM, UN Information Center (UNIC) and WHO and with the support of the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO).The retreat kicked off with a review of the GTG workplan 2024 implementation and progress on the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard (GES). The group assessed the annual workplan to identify advancements in integrating a gender perspective into the UNCT joint work. Based on this progress, the GTG drafted the Scorecard annual report, selecting five performance indicators to demonstrate improvements in the UNCT’s collective efforts on gender equality . During the retreat, UN Women introduced the GTG study conducted this year to calculate members’ staff time contribution to the GTG, and which offered key recommendations to strengthen GTG capacity to drive gender results for the UNCT’s joint work. Drawing on the results of the study and other insights, the GTG developed key actions to include in the team’s 2025 workplan.On the second day, UN Women facilitated capacity building sessions to support the GTG in implementing its workplan in line with the global standard and procedures for Gender Theme Groups. The training included a refresher on the Gender Equality Marker (GEM), a tool to assess resource allocation in activities in the UN Country Team Joint Workplan that promote gender equality. An introductory session on Gender Mainstreaming followed, providing guidance on how UN agencies can more effectively integrate gender equality perspectives in their programming. Additionally, a session on gender-based results monitoring and reporting was conducted to examine gender-responsive monitoring structure and explore practical methods for including measurement for gender-related changes to the indicators.The retreat reinforced the GTG’s role in driving accountability and building capacity for UN gender-responsive programming within the UNCT. As Bahrain continues to advance gender equality in line with Sustainable Development Goal 5, the GTG remains committed to achieving cohesive, transformative results for women and girls, contributing to the broader realization of the SDGs.“Building on this year’s achievements, the GTG will ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment remain central to the UNCT’s joint work in Bahrain bolstered by the technical training conducted during the retreat. The GTG’s collective efforts will ensure that the UN Country Team is able to collaborate effectively with our national partners and contribute to the national development priorities of the Kingdom of Bahrain around women’s empowerment and the Beijing Platform for Action” said Josephine Moss, GTG co-chair and Regional Coordination Specialist from UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States.With a clear roadmap for 2025, the GTG is poised to strengthen its impact on gender equality, ensuring that the UN’s work in Bahrain remains inclusive, effective, and aligned with global standards.

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18 November 2024

Assistant-Secretary General for Youth Affairs Visits Bahrain

Dr Felipe Paullier, Assistant-Secretary General for Youth Affairs and Head of the UN Youth Office, visited Bahrain from 3 to 8 November to participate in launching the “Hope Network”, a global youth support network initiated by the Kingdom of Bahrain."My visit to Bahrain has been an incredible opportunity to connect with inspiring young leaders and support the launch of the Hope Network, a platform that brings together governments to exchange best practices and strengthen initiatives with and for youth," said Dr Paullier, highlighting Bahrain's crucial role in hosting this initiative.He also emphasised the role of such a platform during a time of global momentum in youth empowerment, which requires maximising cooperation and collective efforts. Dr Paulier explored with Bahraini officials, including His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, H.E Ms Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfiqi, Minister of Youth Affairs, and H.E. Ramzan bin Abdulla Al Noaimi, Minister of Information, impactful opportunities to empower youth."Every moment has been focused on amplifying youth voices and building impactful partnerships. We look forward to scaling up our collaboration to support young people in Bahrain and beyond," he said.Dr Paullier also met the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Bahrain, discussing how empowering young people by providing spaces for their meaningful engagement can deliver on the UN's Youth2030 strategy. "Mainstreaming youth issues is our best chance to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030", he told the UNCT.
"The UNCT will build on the outcomes of this visit to continue working with partners to engage and empower Bahraini youth," said the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, Mr Khaled El Mekwad. The Hope Network’s mission is to advance youth affairs through global policy exchange and strategic national planning to fully leverage the potential of youth as a vital human capital resource. The network also has initiatives to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), allowing youth to launch their own initiatives and creating a helpful environment to support such efforts.This aligns with the UN Youth Office, which leads system-wide collaboration, coordination and accountability on youth affairs, balancing how the United Nations works with and for young people in all their diversity. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the UN Youth Office was created “to advance efforts towards stronger advocacy, coordination, and accountability for and with young people.”

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26 February 2025

The UNCT and the Government of Bahrain Kickstart the Implementation Phase of the Cooperation Framework

The United Nations Country Team and representatives of the Government of Bahrain came together today at a workshop in Manama to kickstart the implementation phase of Bahrain’s Cooperation Framework 2025-2029.“The Cooperation Framework is built on strategic engagement, ownership, and co-leadership. This new phase is an opportunity to translate our shared commitments into concrete actions. This requires structured coordination, clarity on roles and responsibilities, and a results-driven approach,” said Khaled El Mekwad, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain. “Alignment with national priorities, stakeholder collaboration and engagement, and effective and sustainable financing are the key elements of success in implementing the Cooperation Framework.” El Mekwad said. The workshop aimed to identify 3 to 5 strategic priorities per outcome set forward by the Cooperation framework, update the list of stakeholders—including United Nations entities, government ministries, and agencies—and explore the engagement of other relevant stakeholders to ensure an inclusive and impactful implementation process.Participants reflected together to determine the priority areas where the United Nations can provide strategic support and add value to the country’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The workshop’s outcomes will allow ministries, United Nations entities, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure coordinated implementation mechanisms, including Joint Results Groups. Signed in December 2024, the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework identifies four key Strategic Priorities: 1) Social Equity and Well-being, 2) Sustainable Economic Transformation, 3) Governance, Justice and Human Rights, and 4) Environmental Resilience & Sustainability.

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15 October 2025

The ‘clean revolution is unstoppable’ but will it arrive too late?

14 October 2025 Climate and EnvironmentIn recent years, one of the bright spots amid gloomy predictions about the climate has come from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – an Abu Dhabi-based intergovernmental body – which has consistently pointed out the plummeting costs and soaring efficiency of clean energy sources, such as solar and wind power.On Tuesday, IRENA launched its latest progress report, which reiterated the impressive rise of renewables – 2024 saw a record-breaking additional 582 Gigawatts of renewable energy capacity – but warned that this is still far from the annual increase necessary to wean us off the fossil fuels which are accelerating global warming.“The clean energy revolution is unstoppable,” said Mr. Guterres in reaction to the study.“Renewables are deployed faster and cheaper than fossil fuels – driving growth, jobs, and affordable power. But the window to keep the 1.5°C limit within reach is rapidly closing. We must step up, scale up and speed up the just energy transition – for everyone, everywhere.” Still off trackAt the COP28 UN climate conference, governments committed to produce 11.2 Terawatts of energy from renewable sources by 2030.So, whilst the 2024 figure is impressive, it’s still way off the 1,122 GW of capacity that needs to be added every year, if that goal is to be reached in time.The report calls on the world’s richest countries to take the lead in turning away from polluting energy sources such as coal and oil and raise their share of renewables to around 20 per cent of global capacity by the end of the decade.A major increase in investment for the transition is urgently needed, the reports states, to fund upgrades to electricity grids, supply chains, and clean-tech manufacturing for solar, wind, batteries and hydrogen.

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15 October 2025

Nations confront deep divisions over carbon emission cuts to global shipping

14 October 2025 Climate and EnvironmentThe framework, developed after years of negotiations and approved in draft form in April, would for the first time establish a mandatory global fuel standard and a greenhouse gas pricing mechanism for ships.Together, they are intended to steer the world’s maritime fleet – which carries about 80 per cent of global trade and produces nearly three per cent of global emissions – toward net zero emissions by 2050.Not perfect but balanced basisArsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), highlighted the “special importance” of the week-long session for the agency and its work.He acknowledged that some countries see the plan as too ambitious, while others believe it does not go far enough.“The IMO Net-Zero Framework is not perfect,” he told delegates, “However, it provides a balanced basis for our further work ahead of its entry into force in 2027.”“This process has been inclusive and thorough,” Mr. Dominguez added, urging delegates to approach the talks “with diplomacy and respect.”“Here, we are diplomatic and respectful to one another, we listen to everyone’s opinion, we take steps forward and we are always looking to improve in this ever-changing sector.” The frameworkThe session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee runs through Friday, when delegates are expected to vote on adopting the framework as an amendment to the main international treaty for reducing air pollution from shipping and improving energy efficiency.If adopted, the rules would apply to all ocean-going vessels over 5,000 gross tons, which together account for around 85 per cent of shipping-related emissions. National governments will be responsible for enforcement.Ships would be required to gradually reduce their reliance on carbon-emitting fuels and pay a price for excess emissions, with revenue expected to be reinvested in clean energy transition measures and support for developing countries.If a ship emits below a certain threshold, it can bank or trade its surplus units, and similarly, should a vessel fully switch to zero or near-zero emission fuels, it qualifies for financial rewards.Strong headwindsThe proposal, however, faces strong headwinds from United States.In a joint statement last week, US Secretaries of State, of Energy, and of Transportation said the framework amounted to “a global carbon tax on the world,” warning that it could raise shipping costs by more than 10 per cent and harm American consumers.The statement warned that Washington would consider imposing visa restrictions, commercial penalties and new port fees on countries supporting the framework.

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14 October 2025

UNIDO and the Rashid Al Khalifa Art Foundation launch the ‘Year of the Orange Economy’ in Bahrain 12 May 2025

Manama, 4 May 2025 – Throughout the world, creative industries – which encompass art, culture, media, design, technology, and heritage industries – amount to over US$2 trillion in worldwide Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while supporting more than 50 million jobs.Against this background, the UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Bahrain, in collaboration with the Rashid Al Khalifa (RAK) Art Foundation, launched the ‘Year of the Orange Economy’ to foster creative industries that, in turn, will greatly contribute to the country’s sustainable economic and industrial development.In doing so, UNIDO ITPO Bahrain and the RAK Art Foundation seek to promote culture and nurture entrepreneurship – through conferences and exhibitions as well as engagement activities and workshops focusing, inter alia, on fostering innovation and connecting the country’s creative talent with international markets.The Year of the Orange Economy will be powered by the RAK Art Foundation’s educational arm called the Art Station, which will provide access to mentorship, international networks, and professional opportunities.“Working with UNIDO reflects the RAK Art Foundation’s ongoing mission to support local talent, promote cultural dialogue, and position creativity at the core of sustainable economic development”, said Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa. “We look forward to collaborate with UNIDO and bridge, together, creativity, entrepreneurship, and technology”.Furthermore, the Art Station will host workshops and incubation activities aligned with the ‘2025 UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain Global Call on Creative Orange Economy’, which is a competition that invites entrepreneurs, artists, and innovators to submit creative and sustainable business ideas. The competition includes four main categories: Green Production, Digital Innovation, and Cultural Heritage as well as a category dedicated to school and university students with the aim of developing emerging talent.“Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa is a visionary and passionate advocate, who believes in the transformative power of art”, said Hashim Hussein, Head of the UNIDO ITPO Bahrain. “Working with the RAK Art Foundation will help raise awareness for the significant role that creativity plays in fostering economic growth, innovation, and sustainable development”.

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02 October 2025

Arab States advance regional action through first coordination meeting on marine disaster risk reduction

Alexandria, Egypt - 30 June 2025 - Representatives from 15 Arab states, regional organizations, and international partners convened from 28 to 30 June at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) in Abu Qir for the First Coordination Meeting of the Arab Programme for Reducing Marine Disasters.Organized under the auspices of the League of Arab States, hosted by AASTMT, and with active participation and facilitation by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Regional Office for the Arab States (UNDRR ROAS), the three-day meeting marked a significant step towards operationalizing the Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction by establishing a coordinated regional programme to address marine disaster risks and by finalizing the draft concept note for the Arab Programme for Marine DRR.Strengthening regional capacities and coordination
The meeting opened with remarks from H.E. Prof. Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar, President of AASTMT, who emphasized:"This meeting reflects the Academy's commitment to its role as an Arab centre of excellence in maritime transport and logistics. Marine disaster risk reduction is at the top of our priorities, recognizing its importance amid growing environmental and navigational challenges facing Arab countries."He added:"We seek to be an active partner in implementing the Arab Programme for Reducing Marine Disasters by strengthening cooperation with international and regional organizations, exchanging expertise, and building specialized technical capacities."H.E. Minister Plenipotentiary Dr. Mahmoud Reda Fathallah, Director at the League of Arab States, stated:"The League attaches increasing importance to disaster risk reduction and works through its specialized bodies to coordinate Arab efforts to enhance member states' capacities to deal with natural and man-made risks."He highlighted:"This meeting is an important step towards building an effective Arab roadmap to reduce marine disasters in cooperation with development partners and relevant organizations."The opening session was also addressed by H.E. Ambassador Ali Abdi, Ambassador of Somalia in Egypt and Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States, alongside senior officials from ministries of foreign affairs, interior, and transport.Key outcomes
Participants engaged in four thematic sessions, including:Development and finalization of the Arab Programme for Reducing Marine Disasters Concept and the 2025-2027 Action Plan, defining the programme's strategic vision, objectives, and priority actions to build safer coastal communities.
Presentations on global and regional marine disaster risk reduction efforts, covering policies, technologies, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to strengthen preparedness and response.
Sharing of national experiences and lessons learned from Arab states to enhance mutual learning and identify scalable solutions.
Identification of regional priorities, capacity-building needs, and coordination mechanisms to advance joint action under the Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Participants also conducted technical field visits to AASTMT's Integrated Simulation Complex, Planetarium, Maritime Safety Institute, and College of Maritime Transport and Technology simulators, gaining insights into cutting-edge technologies that strengthen preparedness, response, and maritime safety training capacities.Towards a safer marine environment
The Arab Programme for Reducing Marine Disasters (2025-2030) aims to:Establish a joint operational framework for preparedness, response, and recovery.
Enhance early warning systems and preventive measures aligned with international standards.
Strengthen emergency response capacities at national and regional levels.
Promote protection of marine environments and biodiversity.
Facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity building among Arab states.
Advance regional and international cooperation to build marine disaster resilience.
Editors' recommendations
Nature-based solutions for comprehensive disaster and climate risk management: Toolkit for integrated planning and implementation of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation
Water risks and resilience
Facing the heat: how the Arab Region is tackling rising temperatures
Returning to our roots: the value of ancestral knowledge in facing future challenges

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02 October 2025

The Supreme Council for the Environment and the United Nations Development Programme organize a national workshop on biodiversity

Manama, Bahrain- The Supreme Council for the Environment, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), organized a national workshop entitled "From Targets to Action: Aligning National Biodiversity Monitoring and Policies with the Global Biodiversity Framework” on Thursday in Manama. The workshop was held in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Daina, Minister of Oil and Environment and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, and included representatives from government agencies, academic institutions, the private sector, and civil society. The workshop reviewed the outcomes of national efforts in aligning the National Biodiversity Strategy with the Global Biodiversity Framework, developing monitoring systems, strengthening policies and sustainable financing. His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Daina emphasized that aligning national policies with the Global Biodiversity Framework is a fundamental step towards achieving environmental sustainability. He highlighted the importance of institutional and community partnerships to achieve all formulated national goals and to complete monitoring, follow-up, and planning processes to the fullest extent possible. He praised the prominent role of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the importance of continuing cooperation with them to achieve joint efforts aimed at conserving all elements of biodiversity. Asma Shalabi, UNDP Resident Representative in Bahrain, affirmed the programme's commitment to supporting the Kingdom's efforts to conserve biodiversity. She added that the progress achieved by the Kingdom of Bahrain in this area reflects the importance of inter-institutional coordination and joint action, and that UNDP is proud of its partnership with the Supreme Council for the Environment in supporting this path toward a future more in harmony with nature.The workshop concluded with the adoption of 23 national targets, which have been in development since November 2023 with a monitoring system to track progress in achieving them, and policy framework identified to fulfill this national commitment, which is scheduled to be completed between 2026 and 2031, and enhance readiness to move to more advanced stages, most notably the financing phase.

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Press Release

02 October 2025

New alliance leveraging Islamic and Arab finance for economic transformation

Vienna, 17 June 2025 – Today, UNIDO, the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), the Union of Arab Banks (UAB), and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) formalized new strategic partnerships under the Islamic and Arab Finance for Economic Transformation in Africa, the Arab Region and Beyond (IFETAA) Programme.Access to finance remains one of the most significant barriers to SME growth and economic transformation, particularly in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. Only one in five African firms has access to credit, and those that do often face prohibitively high interest rates averaging 25 percent, compared to just 5 percent in Europe. Islamic finance, with over US$4 trillion in assets, offers a largely untapped opportunity to address this gap by directing capital stored in monetary markets into the real economy.IFETAA represents a new alliance that will drive capital and capacity towards MSME development, resilience and growth across low- and lower middle-income countries. The signing of three partnership agreements took place ahead of a high-level roundtable at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, held on the margins of the OPEC Fund Development Forum, and marked the formalization of the programme. “As traditional development funding continues to decline, Islamic and Arab financial institutions are emerging as key partners in driving industrialization and sustainable development”, said UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller. “Through this programme, we are building a powerful new alliance to support small and medium-sized businesses, increase productivity and resilience, and accelerate economic transformation in developing countries”.H.E. Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of AAOIFI and the International Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation announced that “AAOIFI is proud to contribute to this transformative partnership, which aligns Islamic finance with global development priorities and encourages Islamic financial institutions to voluntarily dedicate at least 20% of their financing – over US$1 trillion – to MSME development. We will work on developing a Shariah-compliant finance programme enriched with technical assistance, regulatory support, and capacity building. IFETAA will also leverage UNIDO’s globally recognized Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion model (EDIP)”.“The IFETAA Programme will unlock urgently needed capital for Africa’s economic transformation and AFC is proud to bring its unique expertise in both conventional and Islamic finance to mobilise funding at scale,” said Banji Fehintola, Board Member and Head of Financial Services at AFC. “As an issuer, guarantor, and investor, we are committed to delivering innovative, Shariah-compliant solutions that drive inclusive and resilient economic growth, whilst contributing to strengthening the south-south cooperation required to advance our shared development goals”.By integrating Islamic finance with proven entrepreneurship and business counseling interventions, IFETAA will empower MSMEs to become bankable, resilient, and key drivers of inclusive economic growth.Wissam Fattouh, Secretary General of the Union of Arab Banks, stated: “IFETAA is more than a programme – it is a call to action. The Union of Arab Banks is proud to unite Islamic and Arab financial power to serve sustainable development and economic sovereignty. We are mobilizing capital not just to fund growth, but to shape the future of our region. This is about empowering MSMEs, restoring trust in financial systems, and building resilient, inclusive economies”.Director General Müller with Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial InstitutionsDirector General Müller with Banji Fehintola, Executive Director of Financial Services of Africa Finance CorporationDirector General Müller with Anwar Sayah, Financial and Administrative Director of the Union of Arab BanksUNIDO has made available US$500,000 to support the preparation of the IFETAA programme and its initial implementation, which is co-led by the UNIDO Task Force on Islamic and Arab Financing and UNIDO’s Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Bahrain.Each of the partner institutions brings unique strengths to the programme. AAOIFI, headquartered in Bahrain, is the world’s leading standard-setting body for Islamic finance and plays a critical role in ensuring Shariah compliance and supporting regulators and financial institutions globally. Beirut-based UAB represents over 300 Arab banks and financial institutions while serving as a regional platform for aligning Arab banking practices with global trends, including Islamic finance, ESG, and digital transformation. AFC is a pan-African multilateral financial institution specializing in infrastructure development. It has been expanding its use of Islamic finance instruments, recently closing a US$400 million Shariah-compliant Commodity Murabaha facility. AFC made history in 2017 by issuing a US$230 million Sukuk, the first-ever by an African supranational institution.

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Press Release

28 August 2025

The United Nations in Bahrain Releases its 2024 Annual Report

The report emphasises the collective achievements of the United Nations in Bahrain across key development areas. Main highlights include strengthened policy support for climate resilience, sustainable and healthy cities, and an inclusive green transition. Additionally, there has been enhanced youth engagement through education and innovation programs, expanded initiatives promoting women’s leadership and economic participation, as well as accelerated digital solutions for public service delivery and governance. “Through strategic partnerships with the Government of Bahrain, civil society, and the private sector, the UNCT has delivered results that reflect the country’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive development,” said United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, Khaled El Mekwad. “This report is more than a reflection of our joint work with the Government of Bahrain—it’s a testament to what can be achieved when we unite around shared goals, and it demonstrates how the UN system continues to support Bahrain’s Vision 2030 and its national development priorities,” El Mekwad said.As the closing year of a five-year Cooperation Framework cycle, 2024 was also a year of transition and looking forward, marked by the consolidation of achievements, high-level multilateral engagement between the United Nations and Bahrain, as well as multistakeholder consultations leading up to the signing, on 23 December 2024, of a new Cooperation Framework for Bahrain for 2025-2029.

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