Bahrain’s new 2023–2026 Government Action Plan lays out a four-year roadmap that could unlock fresh opportunities for local founders, SMEs and investors by tying economic recovery to concrete targets in digital infrastructure, private-sector partnership and fiscal balance.
Presented to Parliament by Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, the plan clusters ten goals under three priorities: security, sustainable growth and competitive public services. For entrepreneurs, two signals stand out. First, the government pledges to “build on the foundations of partnership with the private sector,” a commitment that could translate into more co-funded incubators, procurement pipelines and PPP tenders—vital channels for startups seeking anchor customers at home. Second, the roadmap links economic diversification to digital transformation, promising legislation that keeps pace with emerging sectors and an upgrade to core infrastructure; both moves should ease regulatory friction and shorten go-to-market timelines for fintech, climate-tech and GovTech players.
The plan also reiterates Bahrain’s focus on food security, climate resilience and women’s economic participation—fields where early-stage ventures already see demand but often lack policy clarity or scale capital. Crucially, officials framed the blueprint as a living document born of “Future Aspirations” workshops across government, hinting that founders’ feedback on pain points—from sandbox rules to cross-border payments—can still shape upcoming initiatives. For SMEs, the renewed emphasis on fiscal discipline and social-support efficiency aims to stabilise demand without squeezing liquidity, while sector-specific projects under the five policy pillars (infrastructure, environment, services, performance and legislation) could spur targeted grant schemes similar to Tamkeen’s wage supports.
“This is a roadmap for what we will share, and what we will bear as common national responsibilities during the next four years.”
Founders can track ministry consultations now to plug startup solutions into the plan’s pillar projects and help steer Bahrain’s next growth cycle.
