Bahrain Mirror: Minister of Finance and National Economy Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said that the government will implement projects worth $782.4 million within the two coming years, among the last batch of Gulf development program "Gulf Marshal" that was approved for the island kingdom in 2011. The projects will include vital sectors, mainly electricity, water, infrastructure, housing and sports areas. The minister announced that the competent parties will work on finishing the bids to implement them by the end of 2020.

Answering a parliamentarian question by MP Ibrahim Al-Nafei on the projects finished as part of the Gulf development program and future programs, the minister said that the next projects will include 220- and 60-kilovolt electricity network development project in Salman City, East Al-Hidd, Southern Province and Al-Lawzi, in addition to finishing the main work of the North Bahrain Street project and the construction of the South Bahrain Roundabout Street (phase 1), noting that it will include the Sports City project and the infrastructure development project in the Hawar Islands.

The project includes completion of the remaining works of the 400 kV electricity network development project (Umm Al-Hassam and Al-Rifaa conversion station), the completion of the road development project leading to Salman City, the expansion and rehabilitation of Sheikh Zayed Road, and the construction of 400 housing units in Khalifa City.

The minister said that since the program's launch to date, more than $7.4 billion of the 48 projects were allocated to the program, projects worth $5.1 billion have been awarded, $3.5 billion has been paid, and a number of projects worth $881.33 million have been completed. Meanwhile, a number of packages and contracts listed within the program contracts are being implemented.

As for the projects implemented since January 2019 up to date, the minister said that the value of projects which the Gulf development program financed from January 2019 until now has reached $1.29 billion. The minister added that the projects included works in infrastructure, housing and social development; including the development of Al-Fateh street, the expansion of Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Street and developing its crossroad with Sheikh Isa bin Salman Street, Northern Bahrain Street project (first phase), Al-Busaiteen bridge, expansion and developing Sheikh Zayed Street (first phase), establishing a road leading to Al-Lawzi housing in Hamad Town, establishing Dry Dock Street, outer exits to a project east of Al-Hidd, construction of roundabout Southern Bahrain Street (first phase), finishing the infrastructure of King Abdullah Medical City, infrastructure project of Salman industrial city, transmitting 440 and 200 kilovolt electricity project, developing infrastructure in Hawar Island and sport city project.

The Gulf aid programs in the past years also comprised projects in the housing sectors, including Salman City, East of Al-Hidd city, Al-Ramli project, Wadi Al-Sayl project, Al-Qalali project, as well as projects in social development, including Comprehensive Social Services Complex in Isa Town and Comprehensive Social Care Complex in Hamad Town.

A number of main projects have been finished in 2019, including the inauguration of the first phase of Al-Ramli District housing project, building 1560 housing units in Khalifa City in the southern province, development of Shaikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Street (Alba and Nuwaidrat crossroad) and project of Sheikha Moza bin Hamad Al Khalifa Comprehensive Girls' School.

Construction work has also begun in the North Bahrain Street project (the bridge linking Muharraq Island and the capital Manama- Al-Bustaineen Bridge), the development of a transport network and water station (Al-Hidd), while two projects have been completed in 2020 to date, namely, the Comprehensive Handicapped Complex (A'ali) project and the Airport Street Development Project (Phase one and phase two).

The minister also explained that the Gulf Development Program was established at the 118th session of the GCC Ministerial Council on March 10, 2011, and was approved by GCC leaders at the 32nd session of the Supreme Council on December 20, 2011, and that it includes the allocation of $7.5 billion from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to fund development projects in the Kingdom of Bahrain over a span of 10 years.

The minister explained that the ministerial committee for development projects and infrastructure is responsible for overseeing the Gulf development program and following up with the government agencies implementing these projects, and that this ministry is communicating and coordinating with the donor countries in order to complete all the approvals and financial procedures necessary to implement these projects.

Arabic Version