Bahrain-US FTA anniversary celebrated

Manama : In honour of the tenth anniversary of the Bahrain-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), American Ambassador William Roebuck hosted a reception yesterday to honour the Bahraini negotiators of the FTA.  

During the reception, US Ambassador Roebuck presented  each of the negotiators with a certificate of appreciation for their contributions to bilateral relations.  He was  joined by  Jason Buntin, a representative of the United States Trade Representative’s office, who came to Bahrain to attend the celebrations.

Bahrain is one among the only 20 countries to have FTA signed with the US. Bilateral trade and investment between the two nations have grown significantly since then.  

The FTA, which came into force on January 11, 2006, generates export opportunities for the US, creating jobs for U.S. farmers and workers. The agreement also supports Bahrain’s economic and political reforms. 

Because of the FTA, US farmers have significantly increased their agricultural exports to Bahrain. Bahrain opened its services market wider than any previous FTA partner, creating important new opportunities for U.S. financial service providers and companies.