Last week, I met with the CEO of Bahrain’s Economic Development Board (EDB), H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, who was in the U.K. on a five-day visit to deepen economic ties and attract new investment.
It followed hot on the heels of a five-day visit to China and Hong Kong at the end of June, which also sought to reinforce existing ties. China is Bahrain’s third-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $2.43 billion in 2025.
As the smallest of the Gulf states, with a nominal GDP of $48.85 billion and the highest debt burden, Bahrain has arguably never had a more pressing need to maintain economic momentum and find new avenues for growth.
With the U.K.-GCC free trade agreement (FTA) concluded in May, the EDB is eager to capitalize on the opportunities it may unlock; the U.K’.s trade with the GCC currently totals £53 billion ($71 billion) and could increase by 19.8% annually as a result of the agreement.
H.E. Noor highlighted manufacturing, energy, life sciences, and the healthcare sector as key targets: “You will hopefully see a very clear plan starting to emerge once the FTA is officially signed, but we’re laying the groundwork now to make sure that we’re ready for it.”
