Bahrain’s economic future is looking bright, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said following the conclusion of its 2025 Article IV consultation mission to the kingdom.
The mission, led by John Bluedorn, was in Manama from November 9 to 20, and praised the resilience and anticipated growth trajectory of the Bahraini economy.
The IMF highlighted that despite a challenging global and regional environment characterised by tight financial conditions, Bahrain’s real GDP grew by a solid 2.6 per cent in 2024. More importantly, the future outlook is significantly positive: Growth is projected to accelerate to 2.9pc in 2025 and further to 3.3pc in 2026. This anticipated surge is attributed to major capital projects like the completion of the refinery upgrades and a robust performance across the non-hydrocarbon sector, particularly in tourism and the financial sector.
