The Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications signed a partnership agreement with Arab Financial Services (AFS) -  the MEA region’s leading payment solutions provider and fintech enabler  - as exclusive POS (point-of-sale) Acquirer for Bahrain International Airshow 2020. The 6^th edition of the Bahrain International Airshow will be held between 18-20 November 2020 at the Sakhir Air Base in the Kingdom of Bahrain and is held under the patronage of H.M. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and under the supervision of Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, King Hamad’s personal representative and Head of the BIAS Supreme Organising Committee. Bahrain International Airshow is organised by the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and the Royal Bahraini Air Force in association with Farnborough International.

The agreement was formalized at an official signing ceremony between Director of the Bahrain International Airshow, Mr. Yousif Mohammed Mahmoud, and AFS Chief Executive Officer, Mr. B Chandrasekhar.

On this occasion, Mr. Mahmoud expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the management team of AFS for their support of the Bahrain International Airshow 2020 and for their positive contribution in further propelling the Kingdom of Bahrain’s positioning in the sphere of global events. Mr. Mahmoud also reflected on the Bahrain International Airshow, now in its sixth edition, as a key global event that continues to build on previous successes over the past 10 years and which served in upholding the Kingdom's economic vision and positioning Bahrain as a center for global investment across various sectors.

AFS Chief Executive Officer, Mr. B Chandrasekhar said: "This is yet another milestone moment for AFS as we continue to embed cutting edge, future-ready technology solutions into Bahrain’s payments space. Our market-leading POS technology is delivering a range of benefits and value-added services that will elevate the experience for discerning guests of the highly anticipated Bahrain International Airshow 2020. I thank the Chairman of the organizing committee His Highness Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Personal Representative of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Excellency the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Deputy Chairman of the organizing committee, Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, and all members of the BIAS Supreme Organizing Committee for not only supporting this agreement, but also reinforcing the critical importance of technology in transforming Bahrain’s payments landscape.”

As the first Android-based, integrated POS terminals in Bahrain, AFS’ world class payment acceptance solutions support international and domestic payment schemes and fintech payment options such as contactless cards, NFC, QR, biometric, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and mobile wallets (including AFS’ mobile payments solution bwallet). Additionally, their many value-added benefits include acceptance of all major card schemes, multi-lane integration for hypermarkets, dynamic currency conversion, loyalty programs, easy payment plans, analytics, bill payment and merchant lending.

The Bahrain International Airshow underscores Bahrain’s value in providing access to strategically important markets across the Middle East. With a ten-year successful track record, the Bahrain International Airshow is now a proven platform for facilitating business generation for global companies, including the world’s leading aerospace companies, in the Gulf region.