Kingdom of Bahrain Portal for Sustainable Development Goals

Goal Nine: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Investments in infrastructure – transport, irrigation, energy and information and communication technology – are crucial to achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many countries. It has long been recognized that growth in productivity and incomes, and improvements in health and education outcomes require investment in infrastructure. Inclusive and sustainable industrial development is the primary source of income generation, allows for rapid and sustained increases in living standards for all people, and provides the technological solutions to environmentally sound industrialization. In addition to government funding and official development provision; private sector funding is being supported in aid of countries that are in need of financial, technological and technical support.

Overview of some indicators

Arrivals and departures in air and sea ports and causeway

30,324,825

Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP

14.3%

Proportion of population covered by a mobile network

100%

Indicators

Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
- Indicator 9.1.1: Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road (Excel, 0.02MB, 1 Sheet)
- Indicator 9.1.2: Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 9.2: Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry's share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries
- Indicator 9.2.1: Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita (Excel, 0.10MB, 1 Sheet)
- Indicator 9.2.2: Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment (Excel, 0.02MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 9.3: Increase the access of small- scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets
- Indicator 9.3.1: Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added
- Indicator 9.3.2: Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit
Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource- use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
- Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added
Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
- Indicator 9.5.1: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (Excel, 0.02MB, 1 Sheet)
- Indicator 9.5.2: Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants (Excel, 0.02MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 9.a: Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States
- Indicator 9.a.1: Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 9.b: Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities
- Indicator 9.b.1: Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added
Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
- Indicator 9.c.1: Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)

Other Indicators

Policies & initiatives support the goal

Digital Transformation

The Personal Data Protection Law, announced in July 2018, sets a legal framework that determines how the information of individuals should be accessed and used when it is in the possession of companies and organizations. The Cloud-First policy adopted in 2017 provides guidance for the application of advanced technology at the public sector level, allowing for reduced operational costs, increased security and productivity, alongside the development of excellent public services. In 2022, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority launched a new Innovation License to enable live testing of new technologies and services, including 5G and IoT technologies, through a light-touch regulatory environment known as a Regulatory Sandbox.

Financial Sector Innovation

The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) is driving the FinTech agenda via a dedicated unit for Fintech and Innovation that is tasked with creating a conducive regulatory environment to support FinTech business models and innovation within the Kingdom’s financial services sector. The Fintech and Innovation Unit launched its regulatory sandbox in 2017, which allows for testing in the Fintech field and has issued a few FinTech related regulations including Open Banking, Crowd Funding, Crypto-assets, Robo-Advisory and others.

Manufacturing Sector Development and Sustainability

The Industrial Sector Strategy (2022-2026), launched as part of the Economic Recovery Plan, aims to support various industries, including aluminum, petrochemicals, green energy, food, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductor manufacturing. To achieve comprehensive manufacturing transformation, Bahrain is prioritizing and promoting Industry 4.0, investing in technological infrastructure, digitization, and adopting circular economy concepts.