The country is ranked 45th on the global information and communications technology readiness index. The Kingdom, which improved its position by six ranks this year, comes 45 behind UAE 29 and Qatar 32, and before Jordan 47, Saudi Arabia 48 and Oman 53.
Bahrain's regional leadership in information technology has been acknowledged recently by the World Economic Forum and INSEAD, one of the world's leading business schools, in the organisations' Global Information Technology Report 2007-2008.
The country is first in the Middle East to install a computer in 1978 and the first Arab nation to hold an online referendum. Bahrain has one of the highest internet penetration rates in the region and Bahrainis have used the Web to generate debates about a range of businesses and political issues. The government has adopted a liberal approach towards Internet regulation and has invested heavily in the IT infrastructure and education.
Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), said: "We were the first country in the region to diversify our economy and have invested in IT infrastructure and education for nationals for some time. We were the first to introduce 3G and 3.5G high-speed download services, the first to go nationwide with WiMax wireless networks and the first to introduce Smartcards. It is encouraging to see our efforts recognised on the global stage.
Bahrain is the only country in the GCC to have ratified a Free Trade Agreement with the US which facilitates the exchange of technology expertise. The possibilities for long-term opportunities in outsourcing for Bahrain in niche areas of software development are rich."
Both Microsoft and Hewlett Packard have regional offices in Bahrain and the presence of high calibre multi-nationals such as these has contributed significantly to the Kingdom's financial services sector - which is the largest in the region. In July 2004 Bahrain was the first country in the Middle East to fully deregulate and liberalise its telecommunications market.
The Kingdom's independent telecoms watchdog - the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) - has issued 140 licences across 12 segments since 2003 and eight other companies have been issued licences for national fixed-line services.
The Bahraini government has targeted the IT sector as having a prominent role in forging the Kingdom's commercial future and achieve its aim of doubling GDP per head by 2015 and trebling the country's rate of productivity. The country has experienced a fast rate of innovation with many regional operators viewing it as a testing ground for the introduction of new technologies in bigger markets.
The concept of e-government is long-established in Bahrain with a number of government services available on the internet. For example, residents can pay utility bills, traffic fines and visitors can apply for tourist visas online. The government aims to have more than 150 services related to key "lifecycle events" for both residents and businesses available online in the near future. In another regional first, Bahrain introduced smartcards in 2005. The cards serve as a combined ID card, driving licence and population registry card. They can be used for voting, electronic payments or as a valid travel document for journeys within the GCC.
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Quelle/Source: MENAFN, 17.05.2008
