Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB) valued Gateway Gulf 2026 announcements, partnerships and deals at $22.3 billion, but did not itemize the tally, making individual commitments difficult to assess.
The forum ran Sunday and Monday, Nov. 1-2, in Manama. The board pointed to activity ranging from health care and education to aviation, tourism, manufacturing, logistics, technology, financial services, and energy and water, among other areas. Bahrain EDB also counted more than 75 agreements and memorandums of understanding signed, but did not explain how those categories overlapped.
Four projects awarded Bahrain's Golden License were valued at $3.89 billion combined. They include a DHL maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Bahrain International Airport; three aviation ventures led by Capital A, the parent of AirAsia; a waterfront development in Amwaj by Meliá and Infracorp; and an information and communications technology, innovation and education hub from Digital City Bahrain.
The board did not say whether the license projects are included in the $22.3 billion tally. An earlier EconoTimes report on the four Golden License awards covered the projects.
At the forum's opening Sunday, Nov. 1, Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa forecast more than 110 announcements worth over $20 billion during the two-day event. Bahrain EDB's later release put the tally at $22.3 billion. The minister also presented regulation, infrastructure and talent as priorities in Bahrain's pitch to investors.
For comparison, Bahrain EDB reported more than $17 billion across over 60 deals and announcements at the 2025 edition. The releases for both years provide no comparable project-level breakdown and do not state how much of either event total was ultimately spent. The 2026 release groups announcements, partnerships and deals in one total, without separating planned projects or partnership commitments from completed transactions.
