The Bahrain eGovernment Agency was working with various ministries and government institutions to add 50 new e-services to the current pool of 43 services on the e-governance website www.gov.bh, he said.
He said Bahrain would also become the first nation in the world soon to offer an online interface between the Government and the citizens with the e-mail for every citizen project being given the final shape. He said that the e-government organisation was currently working on the completion of technical procedures with Microsoft officials. The department signed an agreement with software giant, Microsoft last December to bring its latest online community technology to the Kingdom by deploying its Live@Gov suite of solutions for all citizens. The service would be at no cost to the individual end users.
He was speaking during the official opening of the Bahrain eGovernment Agency premises in the Kingdom.
Highlighting the organisation's vital role in developing, providing and facilitating e-services, he said online usage of the services was on the increase with the website boasting of more than 3.4 million visitors so far at the rate of 540,000 visitors every month and 24,000 on weekdays. "The services are highly valued."
The Kingdom's leadership, he said, was keen on taking technology to the people focusing on the importance of e-governance for upgrading government performance and providing better services for citizens and residents.
The Cabinet Affairs Minister commended the efforts of the e-government in assisting ministries and government bodies to launch their e-services and wanted efforts to increase awareness of citizens about the services and encourage their usage.
Mohammed Al Qaed, CEO of Bahrain eGovernment Agency, exuded confidence that the organisation in cooperation with ministries and government institutions would implement the Kingdom's e-government strategy for the years 2007-2010. "Bahrain would be an ideal place for living, working, visiting and conducting commercial activities through providing e-services via a number of routes," he said.
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Quelle/Source: Middle East North Africa Financial Network, 09.03.2008
