Manama: His Excellency Asif Ali Zardari, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, recently visited the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB) during an official visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
According to Bahrain News Agency, President Zardari was received by prominent Bahraini officials, including Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister; Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy. Other notable attendees were Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of the Bahrain EDB; Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Khalid Ibrahim Humaidan, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB); and Sameer Abdulla Nass, Chairman of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), among other senior officials.
Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah welcomed President Zardari and his delegation, emphasizing that the visit reflects the longstanding ties between Pakistan and Bahrain, supported by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He mentioned that this visit underscores the shared vision of both nations' leaderships to enhance bilateral relations and expand cooperation in investment and economic development to serve mutual interests.
Furthermore, Shaikh Khalid highlighted the trust that supports the Bahraini-Pakistani relationship and praised the contributions of the Pakistani community to Bahrain's development. He expressed optimism that the visit would help identify new opportunities to boost trade and direct investment between the two countries.
During the visit, the Finance Minister presented Bahrain's competitive investment environment, focusing on major development projects and the Board's role in attracting direct investment to key economic sectors. He also discussed the services provided to investors and Bahrain's ongoing efforts to diversify its economic base.