Bahrain continues to adopt a balanced approach that integrates environmental sustainability with economic development, said Dr Mohamed bin Mubarak Bin Daina, Minister of Oil and Environment and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs.
He was speaking at the opening of the fourth edition of the Sustainability Forum Middle East (SFME) officially commenced on Tuesday under the theme “Advancing Alignment, Innovation, and Implementation for Energy and Climate Transformation”.
Dr Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications; Yasser bin Ibrahim Humaidan, Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs; Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board; Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism; and Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, were also present at the opening.
Bahrain's policy aims at strengthening competitiveness, supporting sustainable growth, and building a more resilient future for generations to come, said Dr Bin Daina.
Dr Bin Daina emphasised that Bahrain’s hosting of this important regional and international event reflects the kingdom’s firm commitment to supporting climate action and sustainability efforts, and to advancing a balanced transition across the energy and environmental sectors.
He highlighted the importance of alignment between policies, investments, and technologies, and of translating climate ambitions into practical initiatives with lasting economic and environmental impact.
The forum is being held at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay and brings together more than 650 participants, including ministers, senior officials, policymakers, business leaders, and experts from across the region and around the world.
He further noted that Bahrain continues to adopt a balanced approach that integrates environmental sustainability with economic development, strengthening competitiveness, supporting sustainable growth, and building a more resilient future for generations to come.
The forum’s fourth edition, which was convened with the support of the Supreme Council for Environment, opened with special remarks from Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, who emphasised that climate action is now firmly embedded in the GCC’s economic agenda, highlighting the pace of progress being made across the region and stressing the need for continued regional cooperation to accelerate delivery and reinforce the GCC’s leadership on energy and economic transition.
Amna Hamad AlRumaihi, Chief Executive of the Supreme Council for Environment, Bahrain, then addressed the audience, emphasising the importance of embedding sustainability within national development priorities and strengthening the broader sustainability and climate ecosystem.
The opening keynote was delivered by Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Special Envoy on Financing Sustainable Development, who highlighted the urgent need to mobilise and better align capital at scale, emphasising innovative financing solutions and strong pipelines of investable projects to support decarbonisation, resilience, and inclusive economic growth.
Across Day One, more than 50 expert speakers from government, finance, business and industry across the GCC, wider Middle East, Europe, UK, and the United States engaged in wide-ranging discussions spanning transition-aligned business strategies, climate diplomacy, finance, carbon and biodiversity markets, emerging technologies and the AI-energy nexus, regulation, and capacity-building for delivery.
Importantly, Day One also featured a series of signing ceremonies, marking the formalisation of new partnerships and initiatives. These signings reflect concrete next steps emerging from the Forum’s discussions and underscore Sustainability Forum Middle East’s role not only as a convening platform for dialogue, but as a catalyst for action — translating shared ambition into commitments, collaboration, and implementation. - TradeArabia News Service
