Skype the popular Voice Over Internet Provider (VOIP) will base their new Middle East Headquarters in Bahrain, one of the few countries in the GCC region to currently allow users to access their service.

The announcement was made at a press conference held by Skype and the Bahrain Economic Development Board, where Skype highlighted Bahrain’s liberal policies, progressive ICT structure and the country’s position geographically, which gives companies an ‘ideal location’ for access to the region overall.

Josh Silverman, CEO of Skype, also said that Bahrain had a strategy for economic development that was ‘forward thinking’ and that the Kingdom provided an energetic environment and ‘talented’ local workforce. 

Bahrain has recently been undertaking economic reforms and is now ranked as being one of the world’s top thirty economies according to a World Economic Forum Global Information Technology Report (2009-2010).