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Dr. Khalid Almutawah spoke during the World Economic Forum's virtual Global GovTech Network meeting alongside senior government officials and international ICT experts. The GovTech Agora serves as an open collaboration platform for public and private sector leaders within the Global GovTech Network, aimed at accelerating government digital transformation through enhanced cooperation, innovation, and citizen-centric governance that enables flexible and inclusive digital environments focused on meeting citizens' needs.

Dr. Khalid Almutawah opened his remarks by highlighting Bahrain's strong commitment to digital transformation, technological investment, and the adoption of innovative tools to enhance government operations, improve services, and drive national development. He highlighted the efforts of the Ministerial Committee for Information Technology and Communication (MCICT), chaired by His Excellency General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, in advancing government directives through ongoing coordination with relevant entities to implement key technology projects. He emphasized that driving national development through technology is a joint responsibility across the public and private sectors, civil society, and individuals.
Addressing digital challenges and opportunities, Dr. Khalid noted that rapid technological change and shifting citizen expectations have transformed eGovernment from basic service digitization into delivering personalized, citizen-centered experiences. This evolution presents global challenges to the public sector, including budget constraints, cultural diversity, and the digital divide, emphasizing that strategic partnerships with the private sector, civil society, and individuals are key to overcoming these challenges.

He highlighted the positive impact of Bahrain's public-private partnerships, where the government serves as regulator and the private sector drives economic growth. These collaborations promote competition, innovation, and smarter decision-making while supporting digital ecosystems in line with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030 and contributing to an inclusive digital society offering secure, high-quality services tailored to citizens' and residents' needs.
Dr. Khalid Almutawah showcased examples of public-private collaboration, including Silah Gulf, which provides contact center services to the public and private sectors across banking, telecom, and critical industries, and the digital authentication App (eKey 2.0) launched with Beyon Connect, enabling secure, password-free access to government and private services while allowing users to control data sharing during authentication.

Other examples include enabling private sector partnerships in traffic services through authorized vehicle inspection workshops and insurance companies for minor accident reporting, partnerships with private hospitals for expatriate employee medical exams, and private notary services through licensed attorneys, virtual notary services, and digital courts.
Dr. Almutawah discussed global government priorities, noting that eGovernments have advanced significantly in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, driven by technologies like AI and IoT. He cited the 2024 UN E-Government Survey, which found that 71% of countries rank in the "Very High" or "High" e-Government Development Index tiers, highlighting extensive global digital expertise. He stressed the need for structured, institutionalized knowledge-sharing among nations to support mutual learning and collaborative advancement.

Dr. Khalid Almutawah concluded by emphasizing the importance of such international meetings in fostering knowledge exchange, sharing expertise, staying aligned with global technological developments, and advancing collective digital transformation efforts.

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