The Kingdom of Bahrain, represented by the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA), chaired the 15th meeting of the GCC Smart Card Steering Committee, held at the GCC General Secretariat headquarters in Riyadh. The meeting was chaired by Ali Abdulaziz Janahi, iGA Deputy Chief Executive for Electronic Transformation.
The session forms part of ongoing coordination among GCC authorities overseeing smart card and national ID systems. Discussions focused on strengthening the exchange of expertise and best practices in smart ID card development to support digital transformation, enhance technical integration, and improve service quality for citizens across the GCC.
The meeting was attended by Sheikh Subah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, iGA Director of Identity and Population Registry, along with senior officials from national ID authorities across GCC member states.
In his remarks, Janahi commended committee members for their continued efforts to enhance smart card services, highlighting the strong commitment of GCC leaders to deeper regional integration and the harmonisation of technical and technology standards.
He noted that unified standards play a critical role in improving service quality and enabling individuals to complete transactions with government and private sector entities efficiently. He added that smart ID card initiatives represent a successful model of joint GCC cooperation, given their central role in advancing digital transformation, simplifying procedures, and strengthening trust in digital identity systems.
The meeting reviewed progress on the GCC authentication framework for digital services and the GCC identity verification system. Members also discussed the Software Development Kit (SDK) Exchange Platform, examined the latest smart card samples issued by GCC countries, and reviewed the outcomes of the GCC Smart Card Technical Team.
According to iGA, the agenda also included a review of decisions implemented since the 14th committee meeting, discussions on recognising digital identity as an official form of identification, and consideration of a proposed change to the committee’s name in line with evolving digital identity priorities.
