iGA launches Fikra’s National Appointment System, Mawaeed App

Manama, Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, Chief Executive of the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA), announced the official launch of the National Appointment System and its associated mobile app, Mawaeed. The Mawaeed app was one of the winning projects of the second edition of the Government Innovation Competition, Fikra. Mawaeed serves as a national unified appointment booking app for services that requires in-person attendance at government service centers. Al Qaed emphasised that this initiative aligns with the directives of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, supporting the government's vision for digital transformation and enhanced operations. It is part of the Government Plan 2023-2026, aiming to adopt new technologies and upgrade systems for increased efficiency. This step also implements the decisions of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communication Technology chaired by General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior. Al Qae d highlighted that Mawaeed, one of the winning ideas of the second Government Innovation Competition (Fikra), was developed by the Ministry of Interior and the iGA after being piloted as a beta version last November through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Urban Planning and Development Authority. Since then, Mawaeed was expanded to include 18 new government centers from six additional government entities, including the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, the Public Prosecution, and the Royal Humanitarian Foundation. This brings the total number of entities enrolled in the system and app to nine. Key features of the Mawaeed app include support in both Arabic and English, the ability to access a list of government entities and services offered at the centers for seamless appointment booking and management from any location at any ti me, receiving notifications for appointment confirmations and reminders, and providing instant feedback for evaluation. Users will receive an SMS on the phone number registered on the app, allowing them to rate the quality of services offered through the National Suggestions and Complaints System (Tawasul). Mawaeed app can be downloaded from the eGovernment App Store, bahrain.bh/apps, and users need to register using their Bahrain ID numbers (for citizens and residents), passport numbers (for non-residents), or GCC ID (for GCC nationals), and select the government entity and service they require. Currently, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture has integrated six government service centers in the National Appointment System. These include the Northern Area Municipality Customer Services Centers in Hamad Town, Aali, and Budaiya, the Muharraq Municipality Customer Services Center, the Capital Municipality Customer Services Center, and the Southern Area Municipality Customer Services Cen ter. Four centers are enrolled under the Ministry of Social Development, including Muharraq Social Center, Abdulla Bin Yousif Fakhro Social Development Center, Mubarak bin Jassim Kanoo Social Center, and Hamad Town Social Development Center. The system now also includes the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs, and Waqf Minors Affairs and Funds Service Center, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning Customer Services Center, and the Royal Humanitarian Foundation Customer Services Center. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Consular Legalization Offices in Riffa and Diplomat Tower, the Ministry of Labour Services Center covering employment, training, receivables, and unemployment insurance claims and labour relations management services, and the Public Prosecution Litigants Service Center have all joined the National Appointment System. Al Qaed noted that since its pilot launch in November 2023, the Mawaeed app has been downloaded over 9,679 times and received more than 50,000 booking requests. For more in formation about the National Appointment System and Mawaeed app, please contact the Government Services Call Center at 80008001, or provide feedback through the National Suggestions and Complaints System (Tawasul) or via the app available on the eGovernment App Store, bahrain.bh/Tawasul. Source: Bahrain News Agency