News

The workshop reflects the iGA's commitment to implementing the directives of His Excellency Lt. Gen. Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communication Technology (MCICT). The aim is to sustain Bahrain's leadership and progress in e-government development, as evidenced by its 18th global ranking and recognition as a top-performing country in the 2024 UN eGovernment report.

iGA Chief Executive, Mohammed Ali Al Qaed said that Bahrain's national plans, digital transformation strategies, and the dedicated efforts of government teams have driven the Kingdom's regional and international leadership in eGovernment. He noted that these achievements support the objectives of Bahrain's Government Program (2023-2026), particularly in enhancing the performance, efficiency, and digitization of government services, advancing systems, and adopting innovative technologies to provide smarter, more efficient public services.

Al Qaed highlighted the importance of the workshop in supporting government entities with insights into international standards for the UN eGovernment Survey, and helping them keep pace with global trends in digital transformation, particularly with the increasing adoption of digital government services by citizens and organizations. The workshop also serves as a platform for sharing success stories, showcasing best practices, and discussing Bahrain's plans to develop government systems, automate services, enhance digital maturity, promote government integration, and improve the quality of public services to meet the criteria for the next UN assessment. These efforts aim to further strengthen Bahrain’s ranking in the 2026 UN eGovernment Survey.

The workshop opened with a presentation by Al Qaed on Bahrain's efforts in eGovernment and digital transformation, highlighting the Kingdom’s progress in strengthening its technological infrastructure. He outlined Bahrain's approach, which includes developing strategies, policies, and programs, as well as providing digital channels, platforms, and regulatory frameworks. He also shared details of Bahrain’s digital transformation roadmap and the Kingdom’s adoption of global best practices for government service delivery.

Al Qaed pointed out that the use of digital technologies has significantly impacted Bahrain’s economy, particularly its emergence as a regional fintech hub. He attributed this success to the forward-thinking regulatory framework led by the Central Bank of Bahrain. He also highlighted Bahrain's efforts to upskill and reskill the workforce, particularly through initiatives like the Technical Development Program, which aims to strengthen the capabilities of the digital workforce.

During a session titled United Nations E-Government Survey 2024: Methodology and Key Findings,  Mr. Vincenzo Aquaro discussed global trends in eGovernment development. He examined how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), are reshaping governance structures. He praised Bahrain's progress, noting that the Kingdom was recognized as a top-performing country in the 2024 UN report, and highlighted the role of workshops like this in helping governments shape digital strategies and policies. He also referenced Bahrain's past initiatives, such as the 2012 eGovernment Experts Workshop, which provided a platform for global stakeholders to share experiences and discuss key indicators. During his presentation, Mr. Vincenzo Aquaro provided an overview of the UN eGovernment report, its methodology, and its primary and sub-indicators. He also outlined key themes expected and explained how the UN  assess countries’ performance to support digital governance efforts worldwide.
.
Mr.Mohamed Al Qaed discussed  Global digital twining for eGovernment excellence – Bahrain pilot programme  which highlighted  Bahrain’s commitment to international cooperation in eGovernment by sharing its expertise with other nations, thereby supporting the achievement of digital governance goals.

The workshop included several key discussions  including ‘Aspirations for Digital Excellence – Promoting Innovation through Partnerships,’ ‘eGovernment Evaluation Tools,  that provided  insights into the tools and frameworks used to evaluate e-government performance.
 ‘The Challenges of Government Digital Excellence. offering practical guidance on overcoming these obstacles.

The workshop concluded with an interactive group discussion involving representatives from various Bahrain government entities, where participants reviewed Bahrain's readiness for the 2026 UN eGovernment Survey. The discussion focused on adopting global best practices, improving the quality of government services, and developing new digital projects that align with the UN’s assessment criteria.


#workshop #egovernment #digitaleconomy #digitaltransformation #ICT #opendata #digitalcontent #eservices #digitalgovernment