The Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism represented by Testing & Metrology Directorate chaired the forty-eighth meeting of the Technical Council of the Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) which has been held on Sunday 18th April 2021 virtually.  Bahrain delegation at the aforementioned meeting included Shaikh Hamad Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Assistant Undersecretary for Domestic and Foreign Trade, S.Ali Shubbar Jawad, Director of the Testing and Metrology, Ali AlHayki, Chief of the Metrology,  and Entesar Abdulaal  Chief of Standard Implementation and Quality Assurance.  The meeting came intended to discuss technical committees outcomes and mechanism of developing standardization work in the Member States. Where the council also recommended raising 228 draft standards and 38 Technical regulation for approval by the Ministerial Committee, as well as the strategy of the Gulf Standardization Organization for the years of  2021-2025.

The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, His Excellency Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, chaired today, Sunday, the first periodic meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority held via video conference.

His Excellency Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani initiated the meeting by stressing the government's keenness, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to provide qualitative support for various economic sectors and to ensure their readiness, in addition, to reformulate strategies, plans, programs and goals in line with the latest emerging opportunities, and to achieve the desired shift in the national economy.

During the meeting, Dr. Nasser Qaedi, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, gave a presentation on the overall developments of the authority and its achievements, such as the development of the infrastructure of major tourist attraction projects in the Kingdom of Bahrain, including Sakhir exhibition and convention center which will be completed in the second half of 2022. 

Dr. Qaedi also stated the authority's work priorities for the coming period and the activities it will organize within the framework of an ambitious program aimed at developing the tourism sector.

Dr. Qaedi affirmed that the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority is working effectively in the next stage during which the expected return of tourism activity in Bahrain and the region will start gradually. 

Dr. Qaedi also stressed the authority's keenness to advance the efforts to attract GCC tourists in addition to international tourists and to promote the Kingdom of Bahrain as a leading tourism destination, highlight the tourism potentials of the Kingdom and boost the sector's contributions to GDP within the framework of Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, His Excellency Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, chaired today, Sunday, the first periodic meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority held via video conference.

His Excellency Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani initiated the meeting by stressing the government's keenness, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to provide qualitative support for various economic sectors and to ensure their readiness, in addition, to reformulate strategies, plans, programs and goals in line with the latest emerging opportunities, and to achieve the desired shift in the national economy.
 

During the meeting, Dr. Nasser Qaedi, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, gave a presentation on the overall developments of the authority and its achievements, such as the development of the infrastructure of major tourist attraction projects in the Kingdom of Bahrain, including Sakhir exhibition and convention center which will be completed in the second half of 2022. 

Dr. Qaedi also stated the authority's work priorities for the coming period and the activities it will organize within the framework of an ambitious program aimed at developing the tourism sector.
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Dr. Qaedi affirmed that the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority is working effectively in the next stage during which the expected return of tourism activity in Bahrain and the region will start gradually. 

Dr. Qaedi also stressed the authority's keenness to advance the efforts to attract GCC tourists in addition to international tourists and to promote the Kingdom of Bahrain as a leading tourism destination, highlight the tourism potentials of the Kingdom and boost the sector's contributions to GDP within the framework of Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

Foreign Trade and Industrial Property Directorate in the Ministry held in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property (WIPO) on 29^th and 30^th of March the workshop on the non-Traditional Marks.

The workshop opened with a speech by Mrs. Rana Al-Ahmad, Acting Director of Foreign Trade and Industrial Property Directorate, followed by a speech by the representatives of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Mrs. Shatha Sharif Al-Sayed, Chief of Trademark office in the Ministry participated with a working paper on non-traditional marks in the Kingdom of Bahrain.​

The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism HE Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani received MP Fadhel Al Sawwad at his office today.

In the meeting, several issues and topics related to public affairs were discussed, especially those concerning economic and developmental matters.

Additionally, the Minister and the Lawmaker reviewed the aspects of cooperation, coordination and joint action between the legislative and executive authorities.

In this context, Mr. Al Zayani expressed that the Ministry is always pleased to cooperate and work closely with the Council of Representatives and the other concerned parties in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Minister underlined the importance of coordination and joint work between the Ministry and all concerned parties to achieve the visions and strategies of the Respected Government, in a manner that supports public interest. ​

The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism HE Zayed Rashid Al Zayani received Shura Council Member Sasdiq Al Rahma at his office today.

Several issues and topics of public interest were discussed between the Minister and Mr. Al Rahma, while mutual cooperation and coordination between the Ministry and Shura Council was also highlighted in the meeting.

The Minister praised the sincere efforts exerted by Shura Council members to support and reinforce the Government's efforts to achieve Bahrain's strategies and vision 2030, which are based on attaining the desired development, in light of the developmental process led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, based on the three principles; "Sustainability, Competitiveness and Justice".

Mr. Al Zayani also reaffirmed the Ministry's readiness to always provide all aspects of the required support to Shura Council and to other concerned parties to enable them to fulfil their roles to the fullest. ​

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism (MoICT) recently referred a shop to the Public Prosecution for selling jewellery without obtaining a copy of the buyer's identity and failure to apply the Customer Due Diligence (CDD).

The Ministry also confirmed imposing administrative penalties against another shop, which sold jewellery worth more than BD3,000 in cash.

The owners of both Commercial  Registrations (CR) have been added to the reserved list for their violation of the requirements of order No. (173) of 2017 as amended by the Ministerial Order (108) of 2018 concerning the obligations related to the procedures of the Prohibition of and Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Finance.

Adenoidally, the Ministry said a number of compliance officials in the jewellery and auditing sectors, after it was proven that they have breached the obligations imposed on them in relation to combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

The Ministry added that it is sparing no effort in taking any legal measures everything that may affect the national system for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. ​

The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism HE Zayed Rashid Al Zayani received MP Hamad Al Kooheji at his office recently.

The meeting discussed several issues and topics of public interest, as well as matters related to the economy and development, in addition to reviewing the means of mutual cooperation and coordination between the legislative and executive authorities.

In this regard, the Minister underlined the importance of coordination and joint work between the Ministry and all concerned parties to achieve the visions and strategies of the Respected Government, in a manner that supports public interest.​