aluminium Bahrain(Alba), the Bahrain-based international aluminium smelter, was granted the inaugural Bahrain-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Award by Bahrain’s Economic Development Board (EDB) in cooperation with the American Chamber of Commerce and the US Bahrain Business Council.

Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Bahraini and American officials attended the reception held in Washington.

Alba’s chief executive officer Tim Murray, along with Shawqi Al Hashmi director Line 6 Smelter Project and Engineering, received the Bahrain-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Award.

“We greatly appreciate the Leadership of the Kingdom of Bahrain for their unwavering commitment towards nurturing bilateral trade ties that will boost the Kingdom’s economic progress,” Murray said.

“Alba is truly proud to be the recipient of the inaugural Bahrain-US FTA Award at this historical event, which recognises the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain towards bolstering US-Bahrain business ties.”

Bahrain-US FTA Annual Award aims to distinguish the American and Bahraini companies that are part of the FTA between the two countries.

HOSTS KOMI DELEGATION

Meanwhile, Alba recently hosted a high-level delegation comprising the head of the Republic of Komi Sergey Gaplikov, and Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Saati, the ambassador of Bahrain to the Russian Federation.

Alba’s deputy chief executive officer Ali Al Baqali received the head of the Republic of Komi and the ambassador at Al Dana Hall, said a statement. The Komi Republic is a federal subject of Russia.

Present during the meeting were the chief administration officer Waleed Tamimi, acting chief operations officer Hassan Noor along with other Alba officials it said.

During this visit, areas of common business interests and strategic partnerships between the Republic of Komi and Bahrain were explored, it added.

Information on Alba’s pioneering role as the first smelter in the Middle East and its landmark Line 6 Expansion Project was also presented.

Al Baqali said: “We were honoured to welcome Gaplikov and Al Saati. Such visits help us to share our company’s success story on many fronts as well as promote the business-friendly environment of Bahrain.”

“We look forward to establishing bilateral relations at all levels with the Republic of Komi in the future,” he added.