Page 73 - SAMENA Trends - February 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Bahrain Reengineers 40 eServices; Cuts Costs by 88%

Bahrain’s Information & eGovernment
Authority (iGA) said that it has reengineering
of 40 eServices, which allowed for an 88
per cent reduction in the costs of providing
the government services, and a 74 per cent
reduction in processing times. Across all
channels, iGA eServices generated BD156
million ($411 million) through more than
1.6 million transactions during the year.
iGA chief executive Mohammed Ali Al
Qaed announced the results at a press
conference detailing the achievements of
the 2019 eGovernment Strategy. Al Qaed
said that iGA initiated more than 400
active eServices since the launch of the
eGovernment program, adding that these Evaluation Committee, Taqyeem. Al Qaed highlighted the speed of delivery Electricity
achievements reflect iGA’s commitment announced that iGA, in partnership with & water eServices to 67 per cent, reducing
to the directives of the Kingdom’s relevant entities, is close to launching the the cost of providing the services by 94 per
senior leadership aimed at achieving Sehati app, which will provide a unified cent, while the processing of justice and
the objectives of Bahrain’s Economic platform for health services and will be of Islamic affairs transactions sped up by 55
Vision 2030. They also implement the great importance to citizens, residents and per cent, reducing the cost of providing the
decisions of the Supreme Committee for visitors. The Sehati app was downloaded services by 76 per cent. The complete of
Information & Communication Technology 42,414 times last year, while the usage service delivery of community assistance
(SCICT), chaired by Deputy Prime Minister, reached 301,404 times. iGA deputy chief program transactions improved by 75 per
HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al executive, eTransformation, Dr Zakareya cent, reducing the cost of providing the
Khalifa, and the directives of the Minister Ahmed AlKhajah said that iGA implemented services by 98 per cent, while housing and
of Interior, HE Gen. Shaikh Rashid bin a number of innovations, such as real estate transaction service delivery
Abdulla Al Khalifa. The achievements also improving its ePayment mechanisms, and improved by 77 per cent, allowing for a 75
reflect iGA’s commitment to its strategy of launching 40 comprehensive eServices in per cent reduction in the cost of providing
digital transformation. Al Qaed noted that cooperation with 14 government entities It the services . For education, transaction
the objectives of the strategy have been has also worked with the financial sector times improved by 75 per cent with cost of
met in a range of 12 government sectors, on FinTech projects, launching an eWallet, providing the services reducing by 85 per
including transportation, traffic, water & the first of its kind in the Middle East; cent. Employment recorded processing
electricity, housing & real estate, education, linking the financial sector to a Know Your time improvements of 70 per cent with cost
health, employment, banking, etc. Al Qaed Customer (eKYC) eSystem, activating an ID of providing the services reductions of 98
said that iGA continuously works with card updating self-service; and carrying out per cent, also indicating improvements in
the public and private sectors to further 37 comprehensive studies on government communications with the public through
improve its eServices, and will form a initiatives and services. AlKhajah delivered the Government Notification System
new strategy in 2020 aimed at further a presentation that showed an 82 per (NotifyMe) and the National Suggestion
enhancing its digital transformation efforts cent increase in the speed of processing & Complaint system, Tawasul. He added
and application of Artificial Intelligence transportation and traffic transactions in that that iGA developed financial services
(AI) technologies. Al Qaed said that iGA 2019, resulting in an 83 per cent reduction in association with the private sector that
is committed to serving the public and in the cost of providing the services, as achieved transaction time improvements
regularly measures customer satisfaction well as improvements to traffic safety. of 83 per cent, reducing the cost of
levels across all eServices via its official He highlighted the main services that providing the services by 97 per cent,
social media accounts and surveys. It iGA developed for the sector, including while the speed of processing of personal
performs an annual customer satisfaction online public transport vehicle registration documents improved by 67 per cent,
study and takes into consideration the renewals, and the issuing of international with reducing of the cost of providing the
findings of the Government Service Center driving licenses. The presentation services by 97 per cent.

73 FEBRUARY 2020