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Bahrain Targets 5% Increase in Non-Oil Sector

General view of Bahrain World Trade Center in Manama, Bahrain, February 21, 2019. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
General view of Bahrain World Trade Center in Manama, Bahrain, February 21, 2019. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
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Bahrain Targets 5% Increase in Non-Oil Sector

General view of Bahrain World Trade Center in Manama, Bahrain, February 21, 2019. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
General view of Bahrain World Trade Center in Manama, Bahrain, February 21, 2019. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Bahrain targets a 5% increase in the non-oil economic sector in 2022, said a report published by the Bahrain News Agency BNA.

It pointed out that the contributions of non-oil activities to the Kingdom’s GDP increased from 58% in 2002 to 81% in 2020, up $33 billion.

In order to achieve this target, Manama set a plan to implement advanced strategies aimed at developing the tourism sector to attract 14.1 million tourists by 2026, and the logistic services by raising the capacity of Khalifa bin Salman Port to one million containers, air freight to one million metric tons, and adding more than 70 air destinations.

Among its objectives are supporting the transformation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as manufacturing automation and artificial intelligence, developing the financial services sector, with 365 financial and banking institutions, and supporting the digital economy.

This comes in line with ranking the Kingdom first in the Arab region on the ICT Development Index (IDI) by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) report 2021.

The report underlined statistics by the World Bank and Digital 2021: Global Overview Report showing that Bahrain was also ranked first globally in the rate of individuals using the internet, with nearly 100% of the population.

It excels in 5G network coverage and seeks to cover 95% of households with high-speed fiber optic technology by 2023, the report added.

The Kingdom also seeks to raise the number of electronic services provided to the population from 578 to 1,600, develop the oil sector by completing the “Bapco Refinery” expansion projects, activate the LNG import platform, and develop oil and gas resources.

Bahrain has been witnessing positive economic developments in line with its advanced programs and policy to diversify sources of income, encourage investment and innovation, and provide more job opportunities for citizens.

This comes as part of its development vision that relies on transforming challenges into sustainable success opportunities.

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Thiaw Ahead of COP16: $355 Billion Needed Annually to Combat Desertification

Ibrahim Thiaw, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Ibrahim Thiaw, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
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Thiaw Ahead of COP16: $355 Billion Needed Annually to Combat Desertification

Ibrahim Thiaw, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Ibrahim Thiaw, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

With the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16) set to take place in Riyadh in early December, the world is focusing on solutions to one of the planet’s most urgent environmental challenges.

Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the convention, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the global economic cost of desertification is estimated at $878 billion annually. He emphasized that increased investment is essential to restore degraded lands and address this pressing issue effectively.

COP16 will gather global leaders and policymakers to explore strategies for combating drought and advancing green initiatives both regionally and globally. Thiaw highlighted the critical funding gap in combating desertification. From 2025 to 2030, the world will need $355 billion annually, but current funding levels are only $77 billion, leaving a $278 billion shortfall, he said, adding that without urgent action, 100 million hectares of land could degrade each year, directly impacting 1.3 billion people.

Uncontrolled land degradation poses severe risks, including up to a 50% reduction in crop yields in some regions by 2050, according to Thiaw. He noted that this decline would drive food prices up by 30% and significantly worsen food insecurity, especially in vulnerable areas. By mid-century, half of the global grain supply could face extreme water scarcity. The annual economic toll of desertification, land degradation, and drought represents approximately 2% of global GDP.

Thiaw expressed hope that COP16 will achieve tangible progress by prioritizing investments in land restoration to enhance resilience against drought. He emphasized that restoring degraded lands could significantly improve soil health, potentially boosting global crop yields by 2% by 2050. This progress would be particularly impactful in regions like the Middle East and North Africa.

Implementing sustainable land management practices could also mitigate the effects of drought by improving water retention and increasing ecosystem resilience. In this regard, the executive secretary of COP16 stressed the importance of partnerships among governments, international organizations, and the private sector to attract investments and fund sustainable projects. He pointed to public-private collaborations and blended financing as key mechanisms, alongside international support through grants and loans, especially in Africa, where the annual investment gap stands at $191 billion.

Thiaw further said that restoring land addresses multiple global challenges, including food security, poverty, climate change, biodiversity loss, and forced migration. He underlined the role of sustainable agriculture in improving soil health, creating green jobs, and building community resilience, while ensuring long-term sustainability.

Moreover, emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are crucial for monitoring land degradation and enabling timely interventions. Thiaw encouraged countries to adopt these technologies to improve land management and restoration efforts.

He also highlighted the vital role of women in combating desertification, noting that while women produce 80% of the world’s food, they own less than 20% of its land. Empowering women and securing their land rights could lead to more sustainable practices and strengthen communities’ resilience to desertification and drought, he stated.