The sixth World Entrepreneurs Investment Forum (WEIF 2026) was held on 10‑11 February 2026 at Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir, Bahrain. The event was organized by the UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) Bahrain in partnership with a broad network of regional and international partners. The forum attracted more than 800 participants, from government officials to investors and entrepreneurs to civil society, around the theme “Achieving the SDGs through Empowering Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Mobilising Capital for Resilient Communities”.
UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller delivered the opening keynote, stressing that the world already possesses the knowledge and resources needed to meet economic and development challenges, but that genuine political will and international cooperation are essential to turn intentions into reality. He highlighted entrepreneurship and innovation, championed by ITPO Bahrain, as the foundations for industrial development, resilience, and inclusive growth.
One of the forum’s principal outcomes was the “Manama Declaration,” which places women at the centre of economic transformation and calls for their stronger presence in emerging green, blue and orange economies, and it will be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly. Additionally, the forum also hosted the 18th International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC), further underscoring UNIDO’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment worldwide.
Overall, WEIF 2026 reinforced Bahrain’s emerging status as a global hub for entrepreneurship and investment, with ITPO Bahrain as an emerging leader in transforming innovative ideas into sustainable economic opportunities.
Source: UNIDO
