Gateway Gulf 2026: Bahrain awards $3.89bn golden licences

Bahrain has awarded golden licences to four projects worth a combined $3.89bn at Gateway Gulf 2026, the investment forum that opened in Manama on Sunday, the Bahrain Economic Development Board said in a statement.

The projects span aviation logistics, real estate and technology. DHL will establish its first and only regional maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Bahrain International Airport, supporting its growing fleet and its MENA hub in the kingdom, according to the statement.

Capital A, the parent company of AirAsia, received licences for three aviation ventures aimed at improving connectivity with the Far East and Europe, expanding air cargo capacity through phased freight growth, and developing in-country aircraft MRO capabilities.

Hotel group Meliá, working with Infracorp, will develop a waterfront project in Amwaj featuring a five-star hotel and Meliá-branded residences, while Digital City Bahrain is planned as a hub for ICT, innovation and education. Bahrain EDB did not disclose the value of each project individually.

Gateway Gulf 2026 targets more than $20bn in agreements

The fourth edition of the invitation-only forum runs on 1 and 2 November at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay and has drawn more than 200 ministers, senior government officials, chief executives and investors, the EDB said.

Opening the event, Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy, said more than 110 agreements worth over $20bn were expected to be signed over the two days, according to News of Bahrain. He said the Gulf had faced unprecedented attacks but would keep working with its allies and partners. “We did not waver,” he said.

The minister put the combined output of Gulf economies at about $2.4tn and said non-oil activity now accounts for more than 86% of Bahrain’s economy and more than 77% across the region, with Gulf sovereign wealth funds managing over $5tn in investments.

Bahrain investment deals on the sidelines

Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, and ARP Group said they would partner to establish a wholesale bank built around artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. The Central Bank of Bahrain has granted in-principle approval, and the bank will not begin regulated activities until it receives final authorisation. No capital figure was disclosed.

Yusuf Alireza, chairman of ARP Group, said: “Institutional clients with complex cross-border needs still face fragmented banking services.” The bank plans to serve regulated financial institutions, payment companies and businesses operating across borders, and to introduce products in phases.

SICO, the Bahrain-based asset manager, broker and investment bank, used the forum to announce about $1.6bn in new business awarded by institutional and individual investors during 2026. Roughly $1.4bn is new inflows into funds and portfolios it manages, with more than $200m from transactions and mandates, the company said. Najla Al Shirawi, group chief executive, said the mandates reflected client confidence in its capabilities.

In property, Edamah, Mumtalakat’s real estate arm, signed a co-investment and development framework with Tadawul-listed Retal Urban Development Company for a phased mixed-use project of more than 700 residential and retail units within the Bilaj Al Jazayer masterplan. Retal’s chief executive, Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, described it as the company’s first investment step into Bahrain.

Why the Bahrain golden licence matters

The golden licence, introduced in April 2023, is one of the kingdom’s main tools for competing with larger Gulf neighbours for foreign direct investment. It is open to projects that invest more than $50m or create more than 500 local jobs, and offers priority access to land, faster licensing and permit approvals, and a dedicated account manager at the EDB.

This year’s announcements come as Gulf governments court capital in a difficult environment of regional conflict and record foreign outflows from GCC equities. Bahrain is not alone in using forums to package deals: Oman’s Muscat event last week produced agreements worth more than $1.4bn.

The second day of Gateway Gulf 2026 on Monday is expected to bring further signings as the EDB works towards its target of more than 110 agreements. Investors will be looking for a breakdown of the $20bn figure and for construction timelines on the DHL and Capital A projects, neither of which has been given.

The full golden licence announcement is available via PR Newswire.