Deputy Premier chairs financial affairs committee's first meeting

Manama, Dec. 24 (BNA): Following His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa’s issuance of Edict 42/2018 on the formation of ministerial committees and determination of their terms of reference, Deputy Premier, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, chaired here today the first meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance, in the presence of its members. The deputy premier stressed that the committee attaches great importance to ensuring sustainable fiscal balance through following up on the implementation of policies and programmes related to the government’s action plan (GAP), 2019-2022, and the Fiscal Balance Programme, as well as examining and assessing financial and economic procedures and proposals. In order to achieve its goals, the committee will seek to increase financial resources, rationalise spending, follow up on the implementation of the general state budget and study the requests of government entities, study and assess plans to increase revenues and reduce spending, discuss the kingdom’s economic plans of top priority and put forward the necessary procedures to implement them and follow up on the implementation of GAP in its economic and financial aspects, as well as on local, Arab and foreign investments, he said. Edict 42/2018 stipulates that the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance, chaired by Deputy Premier, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, will comprise Finance and National Economy Minister, Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, as Deputy Chairman. The committee members include Electricity and Water Affairs Minister, Dr, Abdulhussain bin Ali Mirza, Oil Minister, Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Parliament Affairs Minister, Ghanim bin Fadhul Al-Buainain, Transportation and Telecommunications Minister, Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, and Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister, Zayed bin Rashid Al-Zayani.