The MENA Centre in Manama was launched in 2006 as an outreach programme to offer a forum for results-oriented policy dialogue among MENA and OECD practitioners. This innovative partnership will serve to share know-how on best practices and lessons learnt in implementing investment reforms. The purpose of the MENA Centre is to assist in the further development of the MENA region at this time of great transformation and public/private sector advancement. The organisational structure of the Centre is governed by the Articles of Incorporation of the non-governmental organisation established under Bahrain law.

The MENA Centre is the focal point between governments, the private sector and international agencies. It works in coordination with the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO, United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD) and Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB). It aims at supporting the work of the MENA-OECD Investment Programme (Competitiveness Programme) in developing frameworks and analytical tools to evaluate existing and proposed reforms and improve policy making regarding investment practices.

The MENA Centre has successfully carried out its mandate through various seminars, workshops, high-level meetings, conferences, publications and launches, competitions, joint collaborations with other entities and attendance of various conferences. The Centre has designed development programs for women empowerment, youth in professional workplaces and SME development. One of its most famous projects has been the business plan e-competition titles. ‘MENA 100’ which was the first of its kind in the Arab world.