AMBITIOUS PROJECTS AHEAD

Bahrain has several ambitious infrastructure projects in the pipeline, including the $3-billion Bahrain Metro and the $5-billion King Hamad Causeway. As the kingdom presses ahead with its tourism, economic diversification and infrastructure plans, the country will be actively looking at pursuing publicprivate partnerships (PPPs) to spearhead its growth.

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BAHRAIN last month marked the completion of the largest strategic development in its history and a pivotal development in the energy sector with the inauguration of $6 billion Bapco Modernization Programme.

A cornerstone of the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision, the project – which has been an important source of business for the construction and engineering sector – reinforces Bahrain’s long-term goals of increasing refining capacity, diversifying its energy portfolio, and enhancing efficiency.

With the mega project complete, the kingdom’s construction sector, which has seen steady growth after the Covid pandemic, now waits for a transformative phase that will involve some big-ticket infrastructure projects.

Among these are the $3-billion Bahrain Metro and the $5-billion King Hamad Causeway, a vital second link to Saudi Arabia and a key component of the ambitious Gulf Railway project.  The kingdom is also considering a greenfield project to develop an international airport terminal that will replace its existing hub after it reaches its maximum capacity by 2035.

These high-profile initiatives underscore Bahrain’s commitment to enhancing regional connectivity and modernising its infrastructure, setting a tone of ambition and progress for the kingdom’s construction sector.

In the past few years, Bahrain’s construction sector has been buoyed by projects funded through the GCC Development Fund and initiatives spearheaded by Mumtalakat Holding Company, Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, via its real estate investment arm, Bahrain Real Estate Investment Company (Edamah). A strategic shift is underway, with the government increasingly turning to private sector participation to drive progress. This approach has been particularly evident in housing, real estate development, and utilities projects, where public-private partnerships (PPPs) are now at the forefront.