Cabinet Praises National Media, Reviews Economic Growth and Babco Incident Investigation
The session began with high praise for the message of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, in which His Majesty commended the contributions of the national press as a key partner in supporting Bahrain's sustainable development journey. The Cabinet also valued His Majesty's recognition of the government's efforts, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, in embracing modern technologies across sectors and the Ministry of Information's strides in upgrading the media infrastructure.
In the same context, the Cabinet marked Bahraini Press Day, expressing appreciation for the pivotal role of national media professionals in advancing the country's comprehensive development under the leadership of His Majesty the King and the oversight of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
The Cabinet then commended the local, regional, and international participation in the Bab Al Bahrain Forum 2025, which was inaugurated on behalf of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister by the Deputy Prime Minister. The Cabinet praised the organizational efforts of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which contributed to the success of the forum and highlighted global confidence in Bahrain's future development vision.
On another note, the Cabinet reviewed the preventive measures taken following a safety valve leak at one of the units at Bapco Refining. In line with directives from the Boards of Bapco Energies and Bapco Refining, an independent investigator has been officially appointed to lead a transparent inquiry into the incident. Additionally, a support committee has been formed to facilitate all procedures related to the investigation.
The Cabinet expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the employees who lost their lives in the incident and tasked the Minister of Oil and Environment, who also serves as the Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, with overseeing the investigation and updating the Cabinet on the findings and recommendations for appropriate action.
The Cabinet also extended best wishes to students across all education levels as they begin their final exams for the 2024-2025 academic year, and directed relevant authorities to ensure a supportive environment for academic success.
Cabinet Approvals:
A memorandum from the Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects outlining new regulations and additional standards for car parking spaces across various land classifications.
A memorandum from the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance on Bahrain's Q1 2024 economic report, showing a 2.6% year-on-year GDP growth at constant prices, driven by a 3.8% increase in non-oil sectors. In Q4 2024 alone, GDP rose 3.4%, with non-oil activities expanding by 4.6%.
A memorandum regarding the 16th general review of the IMF quota system.
A memorandum on a draft resolution to organize shared human resources services.
A memorandum detailing the government's response to three parliamentary proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives.
The Cabinet also reviewed the following ministerial reports:
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