Several of the key economic issues in Bahrain will be discussed at the Economist Conferences’ first business roundtable in Manama on February 6.

The roundtable, to be held under the patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, will debate the defining issues with regard to the country’s economic development.

Senior business executives and the Bahraini government will together thrash out solutions problems plaguing the kingdom.

The roundtable will mainly discuss ways to use Bahrain's oil revenues and the well-honed financial skills to move further towards a diversified economy.

The government's role in leveraging Bahrain’s highly-developed ICT infrastructure to improve conditions for business and investors will also be in spotlight at the meeting.

Several eminent speakers will at the meeting to discuss issues like the effect of free trade agreement with US and Bahrain's readiness to develop its human capital.

The speakers include Shaikh Mohammad bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister and chairperson of the Education Reform Project board, Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, chief executive, Economic Development Board, Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, minister of finance, Dr Abdul-Hussain bin Ali Mirza, minister of oil and gas affairs, Dr Nazar al-Baharna, minister of state for foreign affairs and chairman of the labour fund, Dr Fatima Al Balooshi, minister of social development, Rasheed Al Maraj, Central Bank governor,  Atif Abdulmalik, CEO, Arcapita and Björn Näf, acting president and chief executive, Gulf Air.

Delia Meth-Cohn, associate director EMEA, Economist Intelligence Unit will chair the meeting.-TradeArabia News Service