HRH Premier receives ITU Award

Manama, Feb. 29 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa today received the "Information and Communication Technology in Sustainable Development Award", announced by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) during a ceremony held at the UN headquarters in New York in September, 2015, in recognition of the of the landmark achievements of the Government of Bahrain, under his leadership, in ICT. This came as HRH Premier received at the Gudaibiya Palace today ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, who conferred the ITU Award on him. HRH the Prime Minister expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to ITU Secretary-General for his efforts to spread the use of ICT and harness it to serve sustainable development goals. The Kingdom of Bahrain has managed to establish itself as a model for comprehensive sustainable development through modern visions and national initiatives that contributed to achieving a prosperous life for its citizens, HRH Premier said. HRH the Prime Minister pointed out that the awards granted to the kingdom by the UN and its sustainable development agencies have crowned a rich record of achievements attained during His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's prosperous era and thanks to the collective efforts of all Bahrainis. HRH Premier affirmed that what distinguishes the Kingdom is that it has kept abreast of the rapidly unfolding developments in the ICT sector while preserving the authenticity of the Bahraini society which is open to all cultures and civilisations. HRH Premier stressed that Bahrain will continue keeping pace with ICT developments and make optimum use of them to serve its sustainable development efforts and consolidate its status as a hub that attracts investments and encourages the ICT industry. HRH Premier voiced pride in Bahrain's distinguished regional and international status in the ICT field, especially regarding the service of Internet, mobile phones and data. HRH Premier extended congratulations to the International Telecommunication Union on its 150th Anniversary, lauding ITU's crucial role in enhancing international ICT cooperation. ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao affirmed that HRH Premier had brought about a quantum leap regarding the development of ICT services in the Kingdom through his interest in developing its infrastructure which, he said, has entitled Bahrain to be among the first countries in introducing modern systems in the region. He pointed out that ITU's decision to bestow the "Information and Communication Technology in Sustainable Development Award" on HRH the Prime Minister was in appreciation of his landmark contributions that would be a source of inspiration for the countries of region. The Government of Bahrain, under HRH Premier's leadership, has managed to make Bahrain a leading country in achieving great success in the telecommunication field as proved by the ITU index 2015 regarding IT Development, he said. He lauded the government's support to ITU efforts to shed light on the importance of ICT in sustainable development through hosting ITU conferences and participating in them effectively. ITU Secretary-general lauded the progress and development boom currently witnessed by the Kingdom of Bahrain in all fields.