Bahrain tops Arab World in ICT performance indicators

Bahrain has been awarded the top rank for ICT information technology and telecommunications (ICT) development by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). His Excellency the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed praised the important role the Kingdom of Bahrain has played in the ICT sector, which is crowned by this new award just presented to the Kingdom for achieving the most development and growth globally in ICT indicators between 2010 and 2015. 

The ITU also once again ranked the Kingdom of Bahrain as first in the Arab region and 27th globally. The award was presented at the ITU’s World Telecommunications Indicators Symposium 2015 (WTIS 15) which is being hosted in Hiroshima, Japan from 30 November to 2 December 2015. 

Commenting on the achievement, His Excellency added, "This is a global achievement of which the Kingdom of Bahrain can be proud. It highlights the Government of Bahrain’s commitment to build a strong, top quality infrastructure to enable sustainable economic growth, and meet the Kingdom’s current and future requirements across all sectors, in line with the Government’s efforts to provide economic and social benefits to all citizens and residents.

"What the Kingdom has achieved by this recognition is something that we can all be proud of, as it is a result of the cumulative work of talented Bahrainis working in the sector, whose efforts and knowledge have raised Bahrain’s profile and showcased the commitment of the Kingdom and its leadership in achieving positive results for the benefit of all."

The strong development in the ICT sector has been achieved in line with the economic reform program launched by His Majesty the King King Hamad bin Isa AlKhalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, working towards Economic Vision 2030. 

"The Kingdom has taken massive steps forward in the ICT industry, thanks to the continuous guidance and support from His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the follow up and direction of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander, First Deputy Prime Minister.
"These steps have all resulted in top rankings in the industry both amongst the Arab world and globally, with numerous awards being given in the past, to which this latest award is another step."

His Excellency added that the support of the ICT Committee, chaired by His Excellency Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak, Deputy Prime Minister, has been invaluable in implementing the national ICT strategy and large scale projects and initiatives.

"We are confident that there is still much more that we can achieve, especially at this time as we are on the verge of completing our National Telecommunications Plan which will seek to achieve specific goals in the industry over the next three years."

On his side, the General Director of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Mr. Mohammed bin Hamad Bubshait commented, "This prestigious award is a huge achievement for the Kingdom, and recognition by the international community of the continued development that the Kingdom is making in the ICT sector. This is a result of the vision and direction of our leadership which has made Bahrain a model example in a variety of industries."

Over the past few years, the Kingdom of Bahrain has been recognized by international bodies numerous times for the dynamism and excellence of its telecommunications sector. In particular, the World Bank, in its 2014 report "Broadband Networks in the Middle East and North Africa" described the Kingdom of Bahrain as having the only mature broadband market in the MENA region as well as being one of only two countries in the region to have fully liberalized the telecommunications market.

The ITU is the United Nation’s specialized agency for information and communication technologies. It is an organization based on a public-private partnership and includes among its membership 193 countries and over 800 private sector organizations. The ITU and its membership work towards consensus solution on a wide range of issues that affect the future direction of the ICT/telecommunications sector.

The ITU, through its Development Bureau, maintains the ICT Development Index (IDI). The updates to the IDI are announced annually at the ITU’s World Telecommunications Indicators Symposium (WTIS). This index is based on internationally agreed indicators for measuring the growth and development of the information society. It is an important tool for identifying and benchmarking ICT/telecommunications performance and progress across countries and regions. 

The award was received at the event on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications by Mr. Musab Abdulla, Manager, Telecommunications Directorate.