Cabinet congratulates HRH Premier on Flame of Peace Award

Manama, Feb. 22 (BNA): The cabinet has congratulated His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa on the "Flame of Peace" Award, saying it was richly deserved thanks to the crucial international role HRH the Premier has played in boosting humanitarian work, promoting global peace, spreading the peaceful culture of co-existence and strengthening relations among countries. The cabinet offered its congratulations as HRH Premier chaired the weekly session, attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. Deputy Premier HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Khalifa, on behalf of the cabinet, extended sincere congratulations to HRH the Premier on the prestigious award conferred on him by the Vienna-based Peace Promotion Association in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian role in promoting peace, boosting relations between peoples and strengthening the pillars of regional and global security. In a statement following today’s session, Cabinet Secretary General Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser said HRH the Premier expressed pride in the many honours conferred on the Kingdom by international organisations. The Cabinet Secretary stressed that the global award recognises Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, for its role in supporting peace and co-existence and for promoting its culture. HRH the Premier highlighted the importance of the Bahrain International Airport expansion project, for which he recently laid the foundation stone in the presence of HRH the Crown Prince. The airport expansion will increase the Kingdom's capabilities in civil aviation and logistics services. The project will also enter in a new phase in which both the Kingdom's civil aviation sector and overall economic development will flourish. His Royal Highness the Premier then welcomed private sector initiatives and contributions that boost the exhibition industry in the Kingdom and promote the quality of national and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) products. He also acknowledged the success of the Gulf Industry Fair (GIF 2016), which he recently patronised. On GCC issues, the cabinet expressed its complete support of Saudi Arabia's decisions to carry out a comprehensive review of its relations with the Republic of Lebanon and to suspend its military and internal security aid package. While lauding Saudi Arabia's assistance to brotherly and friendly countries, the cabinet expressed hope that the practices that cause harm to the Lebanese people which are contrary to Arab interests will stop. The cabinet also extended congratulations to the Kuwaiti Amir, government and people on their 55th National Day and 25th Liberation Day, wishing brotherly Kuwait further progress and prosperity under the leadership of the Amir HH Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah. The cabinet then followed up on the latest developments regarding the application to extend the Tariff Preference Level (TPL), due to expire on July 31. Under TPL, stipulated by the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed by Bahrain and the USA, fabric and textiles exported from Bahrain to the USA are exempted from tariffs. The Kingdom is seeking to extend the TPL system, but the US side has not so far accepted. The cabinet requested the Foreign Affairs Minister and the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister to follow up on the matter with the relevant US agency. The cabinet also discussed a number of options to further develop the textile and garment industry and encourage investment in the manufacturing of raw materials in order to ensure increased export of Bahraini products. Options include expanding the production of various kinds of high quality fabric. On employment, the cabinet decided to launch a project to provide private sector jobs for 15,000 Bahraini university graduates and holders of diplomas and General Certificates of Secondary Education. The scheme is a continuation of the project launched by the government in 2014, which led to the employment of 10,000 Bahrainis. The project, highlighted in the memorandum presented by the Labour and Social Development Minister, provides wide-ranging incentives to motivate the private sector to attract the national workforce in various specialties. Regarding health, the cabinet approved a plan to extend the terms of reference of the National Committee for the Unified Purchase of Drugs from four to 12. The plan was introduced by the Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. Accordingly, the Committee for the Unified Purchase of Drugs will be in charge of preparing a list of basic medicines, unifying their purchase to reduce expenditures, creating an e-system to monitor the disbursement of drugs and studying the possibility of introducing e-prescription services. The cabinet also endorsed a draft edict to amend some provisions of Edict 32/2011 for establishing the Committee for the Unified Purchase of Drugs. The cabinet then reviewed a number of economic indicators for the year 2015. According to figures, the Kingdom's GDP grew by 3.6%, the inflation rate rose by 1.9%, the volume of non-oil trade reached BD8.2 billion and trade deficit went down by 14%, compared with 2014. The report, presented by the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister, also revealed that a total of 204 industrial projects, worth BD174 million, were granted preliminary approval in 2015. Among those projects, 95 of them totaling BD45 million, were given final approval. The cabinet also discussed a draft law on the private training institutions, and reviewed the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. It was then referred to the Supreme Council for the Development of Education and Training. The cabinet also referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs a memorandum of cooperation in the fields of education, science and technology, signed by Bahrain and Italy. Included was a memorandum presented by the Minister of Education. The session discussed two proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives and approved the government's reply to them as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. The proposals included separating the budget allocated for medical treatments abroad from that of the Health Ministry, and holding educational courses for couples who are getting married.