The Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) achieved a digital milestone in the Arab World by winning in the ‘Excellence in Digital Transformation’ category at the 25th Sheikh Salem Al Ali Al Sabah Informatics Award.

The Award’s Board of Trustees announced five winners: two from Kuwait, and three at the Arab level for the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, recognised as leading Arab nations and classified in the ‘Very High’ category of the United Nations E-Government Development Index 2024.

Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, iGA Chief Executive, said this achievement reflects the continuous support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to Bahrain’s ICT sector.

Al Qaed also highlighted the efforts of Gen. Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communications Technology, noting that the achievement stems from a clear vision and roadmap based on Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 and the committee’s pivotal role. This enabled iGA to deliver its digital accomplishments, including developing policies, plans, and strategies, launching services and applications, developing national systems, and adopting emerging technologies, particularly AI, to improve government operations and service quality.

He emphasised the impact of the Minister’s directives in strengthening Bahrain’s digital leadership, noting that since iGA’s establishment in 2007, Bahrain has maintained its regional and global digital leadership, consistently achieving a ‘Very High’ ranking in the UN E-Government report from 2010 to 2024.

Al Qaed explained that a key factor in iGA’s success was its leadership in digital transformation through initiatives and national systems that improved citizens’ lives and created a well-prepared digital environment for government and the private sector. Notable achievements include the advancement of the national portal bahrain.bh, applications, eParticipation platforms, public surveys, and direct digital channels such as the National Suggestions and Complaints System (Tawasul) and the Tawasul app. Bahrain’s emergence as a regional hub for cloud computing and financial technologies has also enhanced service efficiency and accessibility and strengthened its global standing.

He concluded by thanking all iGA staff for their contributions and encouraged them to continue working towards further achievements to advance the ICT sector.

The Sheikh Salem Al Ali Al Sabah Informatics Award is one of the Arab World’s leading awards in information technology and digital transformation. It aims to encourage innovation, promote an information-based culture, and support outstanding technical initiatives and projects that develop digital services and contribute to sustainable development. The award is presented annually to entities that have demonstrated excellence in informatics.