Cabinet lauds King’s Saudi visit

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s recent “fruitful” visit to Saudi Arabia, and his meeting with Deputy Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud have been lauded by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
HRH the Prime Minister also praised the solid long-standing fraternal Bahraini-Saudi relations, noting that they are based on a long history of cooperation and coordination in various fields.

He also highlighted the leading role played by sisterly Saudi Arabia to strengthen joint Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Arab and Islamic action.

Chairing the regular weekly Cabinet session, attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, HRH Premier lauded the major role of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, in serving and taking care of pilgrims and in ensuring smooth procedures for all Muslims to perform Haj and Omrah with ease.
A statement by the Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said that the session had categorically rejected any calls aimed at politicising Haj to serve political purposes, lauding the continuous facilities provided by Saudi Arabia for pilgrims from all over the world and its unwavering efforts to expand the two Holy Mosques.
The session stressed that Saudi Arabia’s efforts in serving pilgrims are clear to everyone and only the ungrateful would deny them.

HRH the Prime Minister tackled development issues and gave directives to follow up on the needs of Riffa and Isa Town regarding services and housing, education, health, youth, sport, social, facilities and infrastructure projects.
The relevant service ministers were instructed to visit the two towns to identify their service and development needs.

HRH Premier gave instructions to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism to revive the Al Jasra Handicrafts Centre and Beit Al Jasra (Al Jasra House) and revamp them in order to turn them into tourist destinations.

HRH the Prime Minister also gave orders to build a new integrated social centre that serves the citizens of the Northern Governorate as soon as possible.
Headquartered in Budaiya, and aiming to strengthen cohesion among all social segments, promote cultural awareness, and empower low-income individuals and families economically and socially, the 25,000-square-metre centre, costing BD 1.4 million, will deliver daily easy labour and social services to 550 citizens.

The Prime Minister also requested the Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure to follow up on the implementation of his directives to meet the health needs of Sitra, Duraz and its neighbouring villages, and Um Al-Hassam, as well as the youth and sports needs of Qalali, Um Al-Hassam, Bani Jamra, Duraz and villages located on Budaiya Highway.
The needs of the villages in focus had been identified during the field visits conducted, upon the Premier’s directives, by the Health Minister and Youth and Sports Affairs Minister.

The session reviewed the progress of the projects included in the Government Action Plan (GAP), whether those funded from the General State Budget with $ 10 billion, or those implemented by the private sector and are considered an important part of GAP implementation with investments worth $ 15 billion.

Figures showed that the total value of investments in urban, tourism and industrial projects is $ 32.5 billion, including investments, worth $ 7.5 billion, carried out by the Gulf Development Fund.

A memorandum presented by the Cabinet Affairs Minister showed that the total number of those projects is 757 and that the implementation progress is 75%.

The memorandum also revealed that 223 (54 per cent) of 410 projects classified as “important at the national level” have been completed, and that the implementation of 179 projects (or 43 per cent) is underway, with 108 expected to be finalised during the current budget cycle.
The report also indicated that the delayed projects do not exceed 2 per cent and that the implementation of 347 projects, classified as “administrative”, is progressing.
The Cabinet Affairs Minister highlighted the implementation rate for each GAP theme, noting that the average progress rate is 60% in the six GAP themes two years and a half after the start of the implementation of the Government Action Plan.
The memorandum was referred to the Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure.

The Cabinet discussed exempting all transactions and assets imported for development projects implemented by ministries or government departments in Bahrain, or are funded as per a grant or a loan by governments, financial institutions or Arab and Islamic funds from all taxes and customs fees.

A draft-resolution on the tax-free items was referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.

The session also referred to the same committee a draft agreement between the Government of Bahrain and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income.