Gulf News - 1/6/2006

A programme for transferring the Bahrain Model for Entrepreneurship Development to the UAE concluded in Abu Dhabi.

Under the patronage of Finance Ministry Under-Secretary and Bahrain Development Bank chairman Shaikh Ebrahim bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, a certificate ceremony for 25 Emirati experts in the field of entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises (SME) development was held at the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The ceremony marked the conclusion of a two-week capacity building programme to transfer the Bahrain Model for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development to Abu Dhabi.

The programme was organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Unido) through its Arab Regional Centre for Entrepreneurship and Investment Training-Bahrain in co-operation with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council, the Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organisations (Agfund), the Bahrain Development Bank and the Bahrain Business Incubator Centre.

The establishment of the Bahrain Model in Abu Dhabi will tremendously contribute to the activities of the Centre for Women Entrepreneurs in the UAE, which is currently being established with the efforts of Unido Arceit Bahrain, said Unido Investment Technology and Promotion Office head Dr Hashim Hussein.

The centre aims at developing small and medium entrepreneurs in addition to empowering potential women entrepreneurs, he told the GDN. The Bahrain Model is the core programme to be offered through the centre as it represents a full package approach for the promotion and sustainable development of potential women entrepreneurs, said Dr Hussein.

It consists of collective capacity building, business counselling and technology tie-up leading to joint venture collaborations, financial linkages and incubation, which takes two forms either in-wall or out-wall (virtual).

A business plan has recently been finalised by Unido, the Bahrain Development Bank and the Bahrain Business Incubator Centre for the setting up of a Women Business Incubator, said Dr Hussein.