Finance Minister backs Human capital project

Investment in Human Capital is a prerequisite to any effective and inclusive socio-economic model, said Minister of Finance, Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa. In his statement to the Development Committee, the minister said that it is necessary to equip our generation with required skills to achieve optimal productivity.

This, the minister said, requires smart investments, and a particular focus on the provision of quality healthcare, lifelong learning and education. In his statement, the Minister supported the World Bank Group’s initiative, the “Human Capital Project”, highlighting the need to identify the appropriate mix of investment in human capital and infrastructure, in order to enable growth and development.

The statement was delivered on behalf of the Arab Group and the Republic of Maldives to the 98th meeting of the committee, held in Bali, Indonesia, on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. The Human Capital Index, which quantifies the contribution of health and education to the productivity of the next generation of workers, was commended by the Minister. He praised the plans aiming at developing its components so that it becomes a credible measure reflective of the reality on the ground.