Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, inaugurated the Bahrain Smart Cities Summit 2026. On the sidelines of the summit, he also opened the accompanying exhibition, where he viewed the government and private sector pavilions and their smart transformation initiatives and solutions.

Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah said that investment in developing digital infrastructure and adopting smart city transformation strategies is key to the Kingdom of Bahrain’s modernisation process, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and under the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

He added that effective integration of government work and strong partnership with the private sector form a strategic path to move from planning to practical implementation of future cities, and that the use of innovative solutions supports comprehensive sustainability efforts and provides a developed environment that meets citizens’ aspirations and supports economic growth.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the continued modernisation of the government system and the use of modern technology in infrastructure sectors are essential to ensuring resource sustainability and delivering high-efficiency services that meet sustainable development requirements.

He noted the importance of maintaining progress and building on achievements through quality initiatives in urban planning and digital transformation, placing citizens’ interests and improved quality of life at the heart of priorities.

Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture for organising this annual event, noting that joint efforts, smart solutions, and teamwork under "Team Bahrain" will help translate strategic visions into tangible reality. He wished the organisers and participants success in reaching outcomes that serve the nation and citizens.

He honoured the winners of the Bahrain Smart Cities Summit 2026 awards, which recognise leading projects and initiatives that use innovation and smart technologies to advance sustainable development. The Ministry of Interior won the Smart Public Safety Innovation Award for the National Alert System project. Eskan Bank won the Digital Real Estate Services Innovation Award for the digital housing platform, Bayti. The Information and eGovernment Authority won the Digital Identity Innovation Award for the eKey 2.0 project. The Electricity and Water Authority won the AI and IoT Innovation Award for its electricity and water network control centre project. Naseej won the Smart Housing Innovation Award for the "Nasayim Arad" project. Bahrain Islamic Bank won the AI in FinTech Award for the "Smart Guide" project.

The Deputy Prime Minister also honoured Esaam bin Abdullah Khalaf, Chairman of the Board at Real Estate Regulatory Authority, in recognition of his contributions to supporting the summit since its launch in 2016, as well as partners and sponsors.

For his part, Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, said Bahrain’s progress in infrastructure, housing, and digital services is the result of its comprehensive development process led by His Majesty the King and the directives of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He said these achievements are based on a national vision that places citizens and their needs at the centre of development efforts across sectors.

Minister Al Mubarak thanked the Deputy Prime Minister for opening the summit and for his continued support and annual attendance, noting his leadership of the Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects in overseeing the national smart cities strategy.

He added that this year’s summit themes reflect the importance of integrating planning, innovation, and digital transformation to build future cities that balance economic growth with environmental sustainability.

For her part, Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board, said that Bahrain is preparing to present its third Voluntary National Review on progress towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals next July. The review documents the Kingdom’s national achievements under its comprehensive development process, under the leadership of His Majesty the King and the directives of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

Minister Alkhulaif noted that Bahrain has adopted an integrated smart cities concept that is closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals to develop communities capable of responding to current and future needs. She added that this approach is based on investment in digital infrastructure, the development of smart government systems, and the efficient management of resources, contributing to improved quality of life and supporting environmental and economic sustainability.