On March 19-20, 2019, CLDP led two separate panels on new commercial laws recently passed in Bahrain. Participants at the roundtables included members of the Bahrain Businesswomen Society and the American Chamber of Commerce. Speakers included discussions on new laws that have received CLDP technical assistance, including a new initiative on government tendering in cooperation with the Bahrain Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism (MOICT) to promote set-aside programs for small-and medium size enterprises (SMEs). Such programs could potentially “set aside” a percentage of public contracts to benefit SMEs.   Additionally, for the panel held for the Bahrain Businesswomen Society, where more than 40 women-led companies participated, the discussion focused on various commercial laws that will benefit small companies and women-owned businesses, such as the new bankruptcy law, electronic transactions law, as well as the SME export center. In drafting the SME law, the MOICT has considered incorporating many of the recommendations made by CLDP, including creating a small business oversight body and technical assistance procurement center for SMEs to strengthen the government procurement system in Bahrain. U.S. Ambassador Justin Siberell and Deputy Chief of Mission Aimee Cutrona attended the opening of the event to highlight the importance of joint U.S.-Bahrain cooperation and to acknowledge CLDP efforts on promoting modern commercial laws in Bahrain.