US embassy cable - 05MANAMA455

UNCLAS MANAMA 000455 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI DBERNS, EB/IFD/OIA JFINN, AND INL/C/CP 
DLUNA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, EINV, KCRM, PGOV, BA 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN:  MENA-OECD INVESTMENT AND GOVERNANCE 
INITIATIVES 
 
REF: STATE 49933 
 
Sensitive but unclassified; please protect accordingly.  Not 
for Internet distribution. 
 
1.  (SBU) Investment Program:  Per reftel, Economic 
Development Board (EDB) Deputy Chairman Zakaria Hejres told 
the Ambassador March 23 that Bahrain established its Country 
Economic Team for the MENA-OECD Investment program in 
September 2004.  The team includes representatives from the 
government, business, and civil society.  The Ministry of 
Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinate public sector 
participation.  The team is developing white papers on reform 
implementation strategies for the working group meetings.  In 
response to the Ambassador's question on the clout of the 
interagency team, Zakaria said Bahrain is fully committed to 
the investment initiative and will work with the OECD on 
analysis and implementing recommendations.  The MENA-OECD 
investment initiative complements on-going Bahraini labor and 
economic reforms programs. 
 
2.  (U) In an effort to demonstrate Bahrain's commitment to 
the MENA-OECD initiative, Hejres hosted a "MENA-OECD National 
Team Dinner" March 22 for journalists, Ambassadors, and 
members of the private sector to honor the five working 
groups working on the initiative. 
 
3.  (SBU) MFA Director for Bilateral Affairs Dr. Dhafer Al 
Umran told PolEcon chief March 21 that Bahrain had offered to 
be the location of the MENA-OECD investment initiative 
headquarters.  Egypt and Abu Dhabi had made similar offers. 
Al Umran requested United States' support for designating 
Bahrain as the location for the headquarters and he asked 
that the U.S. advocate on behalf of Bahrain with Germany, the 
UK, Japan, Turkey, and France.  Al Umran said Bahrain would 
ask Morocco, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Lebanon for 
their support.  He said that designating Bahrain as the 
headquarters would help support the Crown Prince's campaign 
to establish Bahrain as a regional investment center and 
would complement the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement. 
 
4.  (SBU) Governance Program:  Post will follow up with the 
Prime Minister's office on the MENA-OECD Governance Program. 
 
MONROE