Bahrain is stepping up efforts to make small businesses a major contributor to its growth.

Industry and Commerce Ministry said that small and medium enterprises' (SMEs) contribution to Bahrain GDP is 28 per cent and it has plans to increase this to 35 per cent in the next three years, reported the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

This came during the fifth annual SMEs Day Forum, which was launched under the patronage of Industry and Commerce Minister Zayed Al Zayani.

"The Importance of Marketing and Export for the SMEs" forum is organised by Origin, in collaboration with Bahrain SMEs Society at the Gulf Hotel.

"SMEs today form 99pc of companies registered in Bahrain with a total committed capital of BD1.7 billion (excluding individual companies)," Al Zayani said.

"We know that SMEs employ 421,247 workers of which 52,918 are Bahrainis.

"The ministry estimates that SMEs' contribution to Bahrain GDP is around 28 per cent and has ambitions to grow those figures to 35 per cent in the next three years," he said.

The forum brings together a group of speakers, experts and entrepreneurs from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Turkey and Britain.

Several workshops shed light on the importance of marketing tools and the role of SMEs in boosting exports.

The main emphasis of the forum is to manage a positive culture and maintain a proper code of marketing ethics.

"As a ministry, we recognise the role of SMEs in the economy and will work continuously to support and grow the sector in the economy," Al Zayani said.

"Our efforts as a government in creating a supportive business environment, whether being as general as having an FTA with US or as having specific funding through Tamkeen initiatives or even as advanced as launching an export facilitation bureau in collaboration with BDB will never be an alternative to your drive and ambition.

"The majority of the work and responsibility lies within you and your dreams, and we encourage you to start small but always think big.

"Let the world be your oyster and do not confine your ambitions to the small markets of Bahrain. The harder you push us the more we can service you and the greater the challenge the bigger will be the result," he said.

The minister thanked the team behind this initiative, headed by Bahrain SMEs Society chairman Dr Abdulhassan Al Dairi and vice-chairman of the society and chairman of the forum Abdulrahim Fakhro. - TradeArabia News Service