The eGovernment Authority of Bahrain (eGA) has rolled out a new initiative "Enterprise Architecture Project" (EAP) to upgrade and standardise the level of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in all government entities.

The initiative, the first-of-its-kind in the region, will make governmental procedures quicker and more streamlined. The eGA mission aims to achieve fully integrated and effective eGovernance in the Kingdom.

The new project was unveiled to an audience of senior government IT heads by eGA CEO Mohammed Al Qaed at an introductory seminar at the Movenpick Hotel.

In his speech, Al Qaed called the EAP as one of the eGovernment’s most important strategic projects. “Our work in the eGA revolves around establishing the necessary infrastructure in order to achieve a fully integrated and effective eGovernment platform,” Al Qaed said.

“As such, the eGA was committed from the outset to overseeing the execution of the EAP, with the guidance of the Supreme Committee for ICT (SCICT) headed by Sheikh Mohammad bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, deputy prime minister, and making the project a reality, and to become the first country in the region to accomplish this pioneering initiative.”

“This project will unify the standards and procedures among all government entities in all matters related to ICT under one umbrella,” Al Qaed noted. "This in turn will lead to full ICT infrastructure integration in government.”

He went on to say that the project will increase the quality and efficiency of eServices and link it to other communication channels such as the eGA National Portal and national telecommunications networks.

In addition, it will create a vision shared by all in how to enhance government performance through improved administrative procedures between various ministries and make all future ICT projects more cost-effective.

Not only that, but it will also simplify and reduce the time needed for lengthy procedures and help in moving away from unnecessary bureaucracy.

The IT departments in each ministry will be closely involved in the highly complex project which will not only upgrade and standardize the data, applications, processes, network, IT infrastructure and service delivery methodology used throughout the various government departments, but will also involve the transfer of skills to all those involved, including the end users.

According to Al Qaed, the upgrade is part of the overall government strategy to bring Bahrain firmly into the modern information age.

"The government is 100 per cent behind the eGA mandate to boost government eService delivery by using the very latest in ICT, enabling us to reduce the time to roll out new eServices and enhance the level of eServices in general," he added.-TradeArabia News Service