David Burt, the Premier and Minister of Finance has continued his Middle East engagements after a visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain, where he was received by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The Bermuda Government said that the visit had helped deepen collaboration between the two countries on data protection and ease of travel.

The countries have a shared interest in regulatory certainty and economic engagement and the meetings underscored the importance both governments place on strengthening the relationship.

The Government said: “His Royal Highness Al Khalifa granted Bermuda a certificate providing data sovereignty protections for Bermudian companies hosting data in Bahrain.

“Under Bahrain’s legal framework, data owned by Bermudian entities and stored in Bahrain cannot be accessed by third parties or foreign authorities without proper authorisation from a Bermudian court, ensuring that Bermudian data remains under Bermudian legal control.

“Second, HRH Al Khalifa also granted Bermudian passport holders visas on arrival when entering Bahrain, supporting easier travel, business engagement and people-to-people connections.

“The Premier met Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Minister of Finance and National Economy; Mr Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce; and the chief executive of Mumtalakat Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa to discuss deepening co-operation in the areas of investment, regulation, open banking and insurance.”

Mr Burt said: “This visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain highlights the strong alignment between Bermuda and Bahrain as small, outward-looking jurisdictions that have embraced specialised sectors such as innovation and digital assets.

“We both demonstrate how our small size is our strength, enabling us to be nimble and forward-thinking in regulation, while fostering start-up ecosystems that attract global investment.

“The progress made during this visit reflects our shared commitment to regulatory innovation and technological advancement. I am grateful for the openness, engagement, and hospitality extended by HRH Al Khalifa and the Government of Bahrain.”

The Premier also met the Economic Development Board’s chief executive, Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Iain Lindsay, and the EDB team to discuss the progress and growth of the Bahraini economy and to share lessons learnt on building a robust and competitive economic ecosystem.

The Premier met Governor Halid Humaidan of the Central Bank of Bahrain and the regulatory team to discuss exploring a regulatory bridge to support co-operation in financial services and digital innovation.

He was supported in Bahrain by the Government of Bermuda’s special representative for the Middle East and Africa, Ms Alexia Hefti.

Mr Burt was scheduled to return to Dubai to attend the World Government Summit hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates.