Bahrain's labour fund Tamkeen has allocated BD199.5 million ($526 million) as part of its operational plan for this year to fund small and medium enterprises (SMEs), up from BD166.5 million ($438 million) last year, said a report.

Tamkeen has issued over 100 professional certifications and launched 24 individual projects in addition to 47 medium and small schemes, said a report in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

The fund has also helped over 1,000 enterprises to take part in local and international exhibitions. A BD10 million Enterprise Support Fund targeting more than 2,000 distressed enterprises has also been set up, it added.-TradeArabia News Service