FINN talks to Engineer Kamal Mohammed, Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications.

The fifth edition of Bahrain International Airshow last month saw over $5 billion (£3.98 billion) in aerospace orders and over $93 million (£74 million) in Bahrain aviation industry investments. Participating companies increased by over a third and exhibition space doubled.

Minister Mohammed said: “This is the fastest- growing air show in the Middle East, for sure, with the expansion that we have.

“We witnessed, and we continue to see, an international audience with more than 66 per cent of the participants coming from outside Bahrain.”

Gateway to the Gulf

A new private aircraft terminal at Bahrain International Airport (BIA) was also announced at this year’s airshow.

Minister Mohammed said: “You know very well how important connectivity is to an island economy such as Bahrain. Integrated land, sea and air transport are essential to enable growth. Without such a network it will be difficult to move people, goods and information.

“So, yes, the event is important for Bahrain. It has emphasised the importance of Bahrain as the gateway to the Gulf. We can offer the best business environment, the business infrastructure, the human resources who are ready to compete at the global level.”

He added: “And, Bahrain is a neutral country. This is why we encourage everybody to come to Bahrain, and this is why they come to Bahrain.”

Replay our Bahrain Airshow wrap video to recap some of the deals and announcements made at the show.

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