Manama, Feb. 9 (BNA): In line with the approval of the Cabinet, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communication Technology, announced the launch of the My Gov and eKey 2.0 apps. The initiative is part of Bahrain’s national strategic projects, developed by the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) in collaboration with government and private sector entities.

The minister highlighted Bahrain’s continued progress in digital transformation, marked by the launch of My Gov and eKey 2.0 apps.

He emphasised that Bahrain's global leadership in eGovernment, reflected in UN rankings, stems from the direct support and strategic vision of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, in streamlining government services and enhancing efficiency.

The My Gov app serves as a comprehensive national platform, initially offering 41 government eServices, while the enhanced eKey 2.0 introduces secure biometric authentication, already surpassing 2 million verifications monthly. These initiatives strengthen digital governance, improve service accessibility, and ensure security.

He commended the public-private partnership driving Bahrain’s technological advancement, positioning the Kingdom as a regional leader in digital innovation. He concluded by thanking government entities and private-sector partners for their contributions to these strategic digital projects.

Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, CEO of iGA, highlighted Bahrain’s global leadership in the ICT sector, particularly during the Silver Jubilee of His Majesty the King. He noted that Bahrain provides 720 eServices across various platforms and ranks 18th globally in the UN E-Government Development Index. He also outlined the strategy for mobile applications and digital service accessibility, showcasing the key features of My Gov and eKey 2.0.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO of Beyon Digital Growth, praised the partnership with iGA, emphasising eKey 2.0’s role in advancing Bahrain’s digital transformation. He highlighted its seamless registration process, user-controlled personal data management, and password-free login via facial recognition, ensuring the highest levels of security for individuals and institutions.

A video presentation introduced the eKey 2.0 and My Gov apps, showcasing their capabilities in facilitating eServices and their impact on implementing the Government Action Plan (2023 - 2026). The projects also contribute to the Telecommunications, ICT, and Digital Economy Strategy (2022 - 2026) by enhancing public-private partnerships, digitalising government documents, and improving eGovernment service efficiency.

The Minister of Interior officially launched the My Gov and eKey 2.0 apps. The first phase of My Gov offers 41 high-demand eServices from nine government entities, designed according to international best practices, with a focus on user accessibility, security, and privacy. Meanwhile, eKey provides a unified, high-security login system aligned with international digital identity standards, offering advanced e-authorisation services.

The minister also honoured the first government and private sector entities to integrate their services into My Gov and the eKey 2.0, as well as the National Cybersecurity Centre for its pivotal role in supporting the project’s launch.