Bahrain Open Data Portal wins big at 5th GCC eGovernment Award
COMMERCIAL NEWS
The Bahrain Open Data Portal, data.gov.bh, won Best Open Data Initiative at the 5th GCC Digital Government Award held as part of second edition of Digital Government Forum in Riyadh.
The Forum, being held under the theme ‘Our Future Is Now,’ concludes tomorrow (December 20).
In addition, several Bahraini initiatives participated, reaching the final stages after competing against GCC projects across a range of categories, said a statement from Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA).
The Commercial Registration Portal (Sijilat) was nominated in the Best Digital Service category, and the National Suggestion and Complaint System (Tawasul) was nominated in the Best Community eParticipation category, both reaching the finals.
iGA Chief Executive Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, expressing his pride in the Bahrain Open Data Portal’s win, reaffirmed that this victory was a reflection of the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in adopting digital transformation and investing in technology.
It also underlines government efforts led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to accelerate digital transformation across key sectors of the Kingdom, he stated.
The GCC Digital Government Award is a biennial competition in which government entities showcase best practices that align with GCC standards and goals and contribute to the development of a digital economy and society.
It allows GCC entities to gain knowledge and lead in digital governance, providing a platform for competition, knowledge sharing, and enhancing customer satisfaction, as well as promoting a knowledge-based economy and global competitiveness.
Al Qaed extended his congratulations to General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communication Technology (MCICT) on the project's success. He commended the iGA’s continous efforts in developing the award-winning systems.
He said that this GCC level accolade highlights Bahrain's exemplary digital advancements, distinguishing its success and enhancing its reputation in the regional and global ICT sector, thereby helping attract top tech companies and investors to the Kingdom.
During his participation in the ‘Data Integration for Value Creation’ panel, Al Qaed shared insights into Bahrain's approach to facilitating data and information exchange between government and private entities with the aim of enhancing service quality.
He said that Bahrain's Privacy and Data Protection Law, along with digital policies such as the Once-Only Data Policy, have streamlined government services by reducing redundant information requests.
He highlighted successful projects, including the electronic processing of ID card services and Sijilat, which has been streamlined through data integration between over 50 entities.-TradeArabia News Service
