Office of the First Deputy Prime Minister’s Fellowship Programme holds roundtable discussions with senior government officials

Manama, Jan.20 (BNA): Participants of the Office of the First Deputy Prime Minister’s (FDPM) Fellowship Programme have held a series of roundtable discussions with a number of ministers and senior government officials. The officials included the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, the Minister of Information Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, the Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board, the Chief Executive of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, the Chief Executive of the Informatics and e-Government Authority, and the Ombudsman at the Ministry of Interior. The roundtable discussions with ministers and senior government officials are a key element of the FDPM Fellowship Programme, and are designed to enhance the fellowship members’ understanding of the mechanisms and policy development processes that take place within government. The Director General of the Office of the FDPM, His Excellency Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, stressed that investing in human capital is crucial to the Kingdom’s further development, and goes in line with the aspirations of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. The Director General of the Office of the FDPM added that the FDPM Fellowship Programme was launched with the aim of investing in future generations by developing their professional and leadership skills. The Director General noted that the intensive development programme, which commenced in May 2015, was carefully designed to provide fellows with tailored experiences that will benefit their future careers in public service. His Excellency added that the FDPM Fellowship Programme is one of the most ambitious and comprehensive government training programmes. His Excellency welcomed the drive and commitment the fellows have shown during their participation in training sessions, meetings and roundtable discussions, strategic programmes, and report writing exercises. The FDPM Fellowship Programme is open to all government employees below managerial level and includes a total of 15 individuals from a range of government departments. In this regard, His Excellency highlighted that the first batch of OFDPM fellows will return to their departmental postings with improved analytical and leadership skills, and should look forward to applying these skills in their current and future roles.