Bahrain and U.S. companies have signed agreements worth about $17 billion to expand cooperation in sectors including aviation, technology, industry, and investment, Bahrain’s state news agency BNA said on Wednesday.
The deals were signed during Bahrain Prime Minister and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s visit to Washington. He said increased cooperation with the United States could help create new economic opportunities through joint investments.
Among the agreements, Cisco Systems will provide digital solutions for Bahrain’s government information and telecommunications infrastructure.
A separate plan was announced to build an 800-kilometre submarine cable linking Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq to global communications networks.
Bahrain private-sector firms and financial institutions also commit to invest $10.7 billion in the United States. In addition, sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat signs agreements with several U.S. companies to invest $2 billion in downstream aluminium projects aimed at creating jobs.
Bahrain and the United States signed a broader security and economic agreement in 2023. The Gulf state also hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and the headquarters of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
