Business & Finance Club - Manama : Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bahrain has more than doubled to $6.5 billion (BD2.4bn) under the Free Trade Agreement with the US.

But businesses must grab the opportunities before other countries cash in with similar deals, said Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Hassan Fakhro.

'As time goes on and more countries enter into FTAs with the US, as is the case with the recent signing of Oman, the window of opportunity narrows due to the enhanced competition,' he warned.

'Bahrain companies must now act quickly to enjoy the business opportunities which the Bahrain government has provided for them.'

It is up to companies to seize the opportunities - the government cannot do it for them, said Dr Fakhro.

'The government is doing all that it can to spread awareness of the FTA and provide access to information and technical assistance in order that companies can maximise the benefits of the agreement to grow their businesses,' Dr Fakhro said.

'But the government simply cannot do the business for them,” he added.