The event, which was attended by key representatives from the Chamber’s board and Bahrain EDB, kicked off with opening remarks delivered by Chairman of the Bahrain Chamber Sameer Nass, where he expressed keenness to further advance bilateral relations and create increased opportunities for collaboration between Bahrain and Monaco.
Speaking at the event, Nass stressed the importance of fostering business partnerships and knowledge sharing to achieve economic growth for Bahrain and Monaco, noting that trade volume between both countries increased by about 71% between 2022 and 2023. Furthermore, he said that the digital transformation sector is one of the sectors of great interest between both countries. Nass emphasized the pivotal role of the Bahrain Chamber as the primary representative of the private sector, collaborating with the government to enhance economic activities and trade partnerships.
This was followed by a fireside chat session titled ‘A Dialogue on Common Synergies & Co-Investment Opportunities,’ featuring Bahrain Chamber’s First Vice-Chairman, Khalid Najibi and Frédéric Genta, moderated by Andreas Buelow, Partner at the Middle East Team Bahrain office of Arthur D. Little. During the panel, Najibi reviewed Bahrain's economic landscape, highlighting its future business prospects and the benefits it offers global investors. He additionally identified key sectors of mutual interest such as the development of cybersecurity standards for a top-tier digital infrastructure. He emphasized Bahrain's potential to facilitate Monaco companies' access to regional markets and urged robust economic partnerships to maximize bilateral relations' potential.
Frédéric Genta highlighted that both countries share common objectives, pertaining to the transformation of sectors crucial such as tourism, finance, and technology, as well as attracting entrepreneurs, investors, and talents to drive these transformations and achieving international recognition, especially through sports and business tourism. He also emphasized the importance for Monaco and Bahrain to continue diversifying their economies to become central hubs in Europe and the Middle East, thereby enhancing their attractiveness.
Finally he underscored the need to welcome Bahrain investments and talents in Monaco as well as opportunities for Monaco businesses to benefit from the growth in the GCC and Bahrain.