The trade surplus between the State of Bahrain and the Arab world had dropped 2.2 percent in the third quarter of 2001, as compared with the same period the previous year. Bahraini officials attributed this fall to a 21 percent decline in the country’s re-exports, reported Al-Watan .
In the first nine months of 2001 the trade balance reached a surplus of 35.9 million Bahraini dinars ($95.2 million) in favor of Bahrain, according to figures published by the Bahraini Central Statistics Bureau.
In comparison, the Bahraini trade balance with 19 other Arab countries showed a surplus of BD 36.7 million in the corresponding period of 2000, and BD 55.4 million in the corresponding period of 1999.
Bahrain's trade surplus with the Arab world totaled $65 million during the first half of this year, reported the Central Statistics Bureau. The surplus reported was one percent lower than the figure recorded in the corresponding period the previous year. Saudi Arabia ranks first in term of trade value with Bahrain in the Arab world, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Lebanon.
Bahrain’s total international trade balance posted a surplus of $1.08 billion in 2000, up from $441.6 million the previous year, reported the official GNA news agency. — (Mena Report)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
