July 16 (Reuters) - Bahraini and U.S. companies signed a

series of agreements worth approximately $17 billion, aimed at

strengthening economic ties and advancing cooperation across key

sectors, Bahrain's state news agency BNA reported on Wednesday.

The deals span sectors such as aviation, technology,

industry, and investment.

Among the agreements, Cisco Systems ( CSCO ) will provide

digital solutions for Bahrain's government information and

telecommunications infrastructure.

Separately, plans were announced to establish an

800-kilometre (497-mile) multi-fiber submarine cable linking

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq to global networks,

according to BNA.

Bahraini financial institutions and private-sector firms

also announced plans to invest $10.7 billion in the United

States, while sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat signed deals with

several U.S. companies to invest $2 billion in downstream

aluminium projects, with a focus on job creation.

The signing ceremony took place during Bahraini Prime

Minister and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa's visit to

Washington late on Tuesday.

He emphasized that expanding cooperation with the United

States could help create new economic opportunities through

investment and collaboration.

In 2023, Bahrain and the U.S. signed a security and economic

agreement, and Bahrain continues to host the U.S. Navy's Fifth

Fleet and the headquarters of the U.S. Naval Forces Central

Command.