Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, Chief Executive of the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA), participated in Cityscape Bahrain 2024, the third edition of the prestigious real estate exhibition, held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The event, which ran from November 26-30 at Exhibition World Bahrain, Sakhir, gathered global leaders, influencers, and experts under the theme “Experience Luxury Living.”
Al Qaed took part in a panel discussion titled “Our Bahrain, Our Future – Liveability and Its Role in Bahrain Vision 2030” alongside His Excellency Eng. Basim Bin Yacob Al Hamar, President of the Survey and Land Registration Bureau, and Eng. Mohamed Abdulghaffer Al Kooheji, CEO of Al Kooheji Developments.
During the panel, Al Qaed emphasized the importance of events like Cityscape Bahrain in solidifying Bahrain’s position as a top destination for real estate investment. He discussed the government’s ongoing efforts to create a secure and attractive environment for investors by implementing advanced infrastructure, digital capabilities, and innovative regulations that boost investor confidence.
Al Qaed also highlighted Bahrain’s robust digital infrastructure, which enhances the real estate sector by streamlining transactions, optimizing procedures, and saving time for stakeholders, including investors and developers. He praised the positive impact of digital transformation on Bahrain’s economic growth and its role in improving the quality of life for citizens and residents.
He stressed the importance of leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), geospatial systems, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases through strong government initiatives. These advancements, supported by data-sharing policies and standards, have established Bahrain as a leader in improving infrastructure and real estate services.
Al Qaed presented several digital initiatives launched by the iGA in collaboration with various government entities, including the Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), and the Survey and Land Registration Bureau. These initiatives, including GIS-driven projects, aim to improve real estate infrastructure and boost sector productivity while aligning with national development goals.
One of the key initiatives is Planning (www.planning.bh), an online platform developed by iGA in partnership with the Urban Planning & Development Authority and other stakeholders. The platform offers 14 eServices for urban planning, significantly reducing paperwork and in-person visits. Transaction times have been reduced by up to 80%, with certain services now completed in just one to five business days.
Another initiative, the Benayat project (www.benayat.bh), developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, offers over 15 eServices related to building permits, cutting processing times by up to 90%. The platform streamlines all services related to building permits, from project initiation to utility connections, providing a unified guide for building code requirements.
In 2024, the Benayat portal introduced additional services for building permits, including permits for additions, which account for 40% of all requests. The reengineered services simplify the approval process by reducing the number of government entities involved by up to 80%. An interactive map viewer allows property owners and investors to check a property’s status and identify necessary pre-approvals before making investments.
The Bahrain Open Data Platform (data.gov.bh) was also presented, offering access to over 400 datasets from various government entities. This platform provides dynamic visualizations, such as tables, charts, and spatial data, covering economic, social, and environmental statistics, further supporting the real estate sector in Bahrain.
