Manama : His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today chaired the weekly Cabinet Meeting at Gudaibiya Palace.
The Cabinet commended the speech delivered by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa during His Majesty’s patronage of the Bahrain First Festival 2026. The Cabinet also commended the organisational efforts of the Ministry of Education, as well as the contributions of students and parents to the success of the festival.
On the 58th anniversary of the establishment of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), the Cabinet commended the BDF’s continued advancements in enhancing combat readiness, attributing these achievements to the unwavering support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
The Cabinet noted the success of the recent Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, hosted by the Kingdom under the patronage of His Majesty the King.
The Cabinet then congratulated His Majesty the King on the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national handball team for winning the Asian Handball Championship for the first time in its history, and extended its congratulations to the players, as well as the technical and administrative staff.
The Cabinet then commended the success of the Crown Prince’s Cup Festival, highlighting the role of the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) High Committee, under the leadership of His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Court and Chairman of the REHC High Committee, for its contributions to the success of the event. The Cabinet also congratulated the winners of the Crown Prince’s Cup Festival.
The Cabinet commended the outcomes of the 36th Autumn Fair, noting significant growth compared to 2025. Sales grew by 112.6%, exhibitors increased by 15.7%, participating countries rose by 8.3%, and the exhibition space expanded by 40%, showing the Fair’s strong growth and attendance.
HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister directed to double financial support for eligible individuals receiving social security and disability allowances in observance of the holy month of Ramadan. His Royal Highness directed the Ministry of Social Development to distribute financial support before Ramadan to guarantee adequate living standards for citizens, particularly those in low-income groups.
In this regard, and through constructive cooperation with the legislative branch, the Cabinet decided to amend the electricity consumption tariff for consumption ranging between 5,000 and 7,000 units, setting the tariff at 16 fils per unit instead of 32 fils per unit for citizens’ primary residences.
On World Interfaith Harmony Week, the Cabinet affirmed Bahrain’s commitment to consolidating peace, tolerance, coexistence and dialogue.
On National Environment Day, the Cabinet emphasised its commitment to adopting projects and programmes that support environmental goals and enhance community participation in sustainability efforts.
The Cabinet then reviewed several memoranda submitted by the Civil Service Council, the Deputy Prime Minister, ministerial committees and ministers, approving the following:
1. Restructuring several government agencies to improve performance and efficiency.
2. Proposals regarding the development of the aviation sector.
3. A memorandum of understanding on financial and economic cooperation between the Ministry of Finance and National Economy and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
4. A memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, regarding cooperation in the field of exchanging expertise.
The Cabinet also reviewed the following ministerial reports:
1. The latest developments regarding the use of smart cameras.
2. The outcomes of Bahrain’s participation in the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue.
3. The outcomes of Bahrain’s participation in the Doha Legal Forum.
4. The outcomes of Bahrain’s participation in the Real Estate Future Forum.
5. Assessing Bahrain’s events calendar for 2026.
6. The external engagements undertaken by Ministers, and official visits by dignitaries of foreign countries to the Kingdom of Bahrain, during February 2026.
