MANAMA, 23rd August, 2016 (WAM) -- Two financing agreements, with a value of more than US$ 1 billion, were signed on Tuesday between the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED).

Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, the Bahraini Minister of Finance, and Hamad Suleiman Al Omar, Deputy Director-General of the Fund, signed the agreements, which came as part of a grant provided by Kuwait within the Gulf Development Programme, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

The first agreement involves an amendment to a previously signed agreement between the two parties with regard to "Housing Projects at Al Madina Al Shamaliya and East Hidd". Under the new provision, the total amount of the funding will reach US$ 996 million, in order to finance additional housing units in the project and associated infrastructure works.

Infrastructure works for "Salman Industrial City" were the subject of the second agreement, with a value of US$ 32 million. This includes improvement and rehabilitation of roads, water, drainage and sewage networks.

Officials from Bahrain and the Kuwait Fund have already signed seven agreements, in the last three years, involving a wide range of projects in the housing, works, electricity and social development sectors, with a total value of US$ 2.3 billion.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2016.