Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs, H.E. Shaikh Khaled bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, today issued directives forming and activating six government task forces to reduce government operational expenditure as part of the newly announced Fiscal Balance Program.

His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister issued edict (No. 2/2018) forming six government task forces as follows:

1. Government building maintenance task force led by the Minister of Works, Municipality Affairs and Urban Planning

2. Government building rents task force led by the Minister of Industry, Commerce & Tourism

3. Travel and transport task force led by the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications

4. ICT task force led by the Information and eGovernment Authority’s Chief Executive

5. Medical resources task force led by the Minister of Health

6. Other operational expenditure task force led by the Minister of Housing

His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister also issued circular (No. 3/2018) outlining key steps as part of the Task Forces’ remit to streamline operational Government expenses:

Purchase requests from government entities are submitted to the Ministry of Finance The Ministry of Finance submits purchase requests to the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs for initial review Ministry of Finance refers purchase requests to the relevant task force Task forces, in collaboration with the Assistant Undersecretary for Joint Financial Services at the Ministry of Finance, review the purchase requests and submit their recommendations to the Ministry of Finance

Ministry of Finance submits Task Forces’ recommendations to the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs The Ministerial Committee approves or rejects or re-evaluates purchase requests based on the task forces’ recommendations

Reducing government operational expenditure is one of six initiatives launched following the announcement of the Fiscal Balance Program that aims to balance the government’s budget by 2022, while enhancing service delivery to citizens.

The Fiscal Balance Program will continue to strengthen the Kingdom’s long-term fiscal stability, and in turn safeguard and enhance sustainable private sector-led growth.