Kuwin Wins Two Gulf Awards in Digital Government... 'Sahl' Best Comprehensive Government App

Kuwait achieved a dual Gulf milestone as its unified government e-services application, “Sahel,” won the award for Best Comprehensive Government Application, and the “Newborn Journey” service received the Excellence Award in the category of Best Government Digital Service. These honors were presented during the seventh edition of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Digital Government Awards, hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Media and Culture, Omar Al-Omar, expressed his pride in this recognition in a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Thursday, emphasizing that it reflects Kuwait’s progress in developing digital government services and the success of inter-agency cooperation in delivering more integrated and efficient services.

Al-Omar dedicated the achievement to His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah; His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah; and His Highness the Prime Minister, Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, in appreciation of their continuous support for the digital transformation journey, the development of government services, and the facilitation of transactions for citizens and residents.

He stated that winning two Gulf awards in a single day confirms the success of the vision behind the “Sahel” application, which goes beyond consolidating government services on a single digital platform. It extends to developing service delivery mechanisms and transitioning from isolated services to integrated digital journeys that place beneficiary needs at the core of the development process.

Al-Omar affirmed that this achievement is the result of a joint national effort, noting that the excellence of the “Newborn Journey” reflects the coordinated efforts of seven government entities: the Ministries of Justice, Health, Interior, Commerce and Industry, the Public Authority for Civil Information, the Public Authority for Manpower, and the Diwan of Civil Service. These entities collaborated to deliver an integrated digital experience that streamlines procedures related to newborns.

He pointed out that the next phase will see continued development of the application and the expansion of new digital journeys, leveraging artificial intelligence technologies and proactive services, while enhancing inter-agency integration to improve service quality and user experience.

For his part, Colonel Bashar Al-Sayed Hashem, Chairman of the Executive Committee for the “Sahel” application, said the win reflects the success of the joint government work system based on continuous coordination, process reengineering, service development, and enhanced data sharing and integration among relevant entities.

He clarified that the application consolidates services from 42 government entities on a unified digital platform, while the “Newborn Journey” serves as a practical model for transitioning from isolated service delivery to an integrated digital journey, where government procedures and systems work together to serve citizens.

On her part, Executive Committee member Fajr Al-Yassin emphasized that developing “Sahel” is not limited to increasing the number of available services, but also includes improving usability, clarifying procedures, and better meeting beneficiary needs. She explained that the “Newborn Journey” was designed to provide a cohesive experience for families, eliminating the need to visit each government entity separately.

Executive Committee member Amina Abdulrahim further clarified that the service’s success resulted from technical integration and data exchange among participating entities, which helps reduce the duplication of procedures and documents and facilitates the transfer of transactions between government systems. She stressed the importance of developing the technical infrastructure to ensure the sustainability of digital services and the expansion of new digital journeys.

The awards ceremony, held yesterday evening in Bahrain, was attended by Bahrain’s Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communications Technology, First Marshal Sheikh Rashid bin

Abdullah Al-Khalifa, and the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Al-Bedawi. Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa, in a speech during the ceremony, emphasized that the security of digital infrastructure has become an integral part of national security and a country’s capacity to withstand challenges and sustain continuity. He stressed the need to enhance Gulf cooperation in the field of cybersecurity, improve readiness, and exchange expertise and information to ensure the continuity of vital services. For his part, Al-Bedawi clarified that the Digital Government Award represents a Gulf platform to stimulate innovation, identify outstanding experiences, and transform them into opportunities for development and shared benefit. He noted that its true value lies in disseminating successful practices and converting individual achievements into added value for joint Gulf efforts. This accolade marks a new milestone in Kuwait’s digital transformation journey, combining excellence in building a comprehensive government platform with the development of integrated services that streamline procedures, time, and effort, while strengthening the presence of the Kuwaiti experience in specialized forums. This follows the “Sahel” application receiving a special honor at the Arab Government Excellence Awards in 2025 and winning the Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Award for Informatics.