Al-Omar: GCC Cooperation in Digital Government a Key Pillar for Developing Public Services - Sarmad

Kuwaiti Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Information and Culture, Omar Al-Omar, affirmed the importance of exchanging expertise and experiences among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the field of digital government, contributing to the development of the Gulf digital ecosystem, enhancing integration and joint coordination, and keeping pace with rapid technological developments.

This statement was made by Minister Al-Omar on the sidelines of chairing the Kuwaiti delegation participating in the 10th Meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee on Digital Government, held in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He noted that Gulf cooperation in digital government constitutes a fundamental pillar for developing government services, improving their efficiency and quality, through the exchange of knowledge and expertise, leveraging successful experiences, and unifying efforts in technical and digital fields.

He emphasized the importance of the meeting in advancing Gulf cooperation in the areas of digital transformation, information and communications technology (ICT), and discussing joint initiatives and projects that contribute to developing digital government operations and elevating the level of electronic services in GCC member states.

He pointed out that the meeting discussed several items on its agenda, foremost among them the adoption of the GCC Artificial Intelligence Strategy for the period 2026-2030 and the GCC Digital Government Award, alongside monitoring the implementation of previous decisions and discussing joint initiatives to develop the digital government system and enhance integration among GCC countries.

He clarified that the meeting addressed ways to strengthen Gulf cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, digital transformation, digital services, cybersecurity, and business continuity, as well as exploring the development of joint work mechanisms, exchanging expertise and best practices, thereby contributing to improving the efficiency of government services and keeping pace with rapid technological advancements.

He added that the meeting also reviewed cooperation aspects regarding the ninth edition of the “DOC Policies Watch” newsletter issued by the Digital Cooperation Organization, alongside reviewing relevant international reports and indicators related to the maturity level of government technology and the efforts made to enhance digital transformation in GCC countries.

Minister Al-Omar praised the Kingdom of Bahrain for hosting the meeting and providing an organization that reflects its commitment to supporting the progress of joint Gulf work and enhancing cooperation and coordination among GCC countries in the fields of digital government and ICT. He commended the role of the GCC Secretariat General and the efforts it expends to continue developing cooperation among Gulf states.

He affirmed Kuwait’s aspiration to continue cooperating with sister Gulf states, exchanging expertise and successful experiences to support the development of joint digital initiatives, enhance Gulf integration, and contribute to building an advanced digital government system that responds to the development needs and aspirations of the peoples of GCC countries.

The Kuwaiti delegation participating in the meeting, in addition to Minister Al-Omar, included Acting Director General of the Central Agency for Information Technology, Najat Al-Tum.