GCC Approves AI Strategy to Advance Shared Government Services

The regional plan brings AI into a wider effort to connect public services, strengthen digital trust and coordinate government transformation.

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For people and businesses dealing with government services across the Gulf, integration depends on systems that can work together reliably. AI is becoming part of that effort, alongside the arrangements that make digital transactions trustworthy.

The Gulf Cooperation Council's Ministerial Committee for Digital Government approved an AI strategy at its tenth meeting in Manama, held on October 28, 2026. The GCC Secretariat identifies the strategy as covering 2026 to 2030, alongside its guiding e-government strategy for 2024 to 2030.

In its account of Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi's remarks, the Secretariat described the two strategies as important for:

“Directing efforts, determining shared priorities, and transitioning Gulf digital projects to broader levels of coordination and integration”

Shared services and digital trust

Saudi Arabia was represented by Ahmed Alsuwaiyan, governor of the Digital Government Authority. According to the Saudi Press Agency, participants discussed shared digital services, digital trust, AI and emerging technologies, alongside ways to exchange expertise and develop joint digital initiatives.

Lieutenant General Tariq bin Hassan Al Hassan, Bahrain's chief of public security, chaired the meeting. He emphasized integrating government systems and using AI to improve services and cybersecurity while maintaining service continuity for citizens and residents.

The committee also discussed linking national digital trust lists across member states. In the UAE, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority uses its list to identify licensed providers and their trust services, supporting verification of electronic signatures and seals.

Connecting those records could help systems in one country check trust services used in another. That would support more dependable digital transactions for public agencies and businesses, making the trust infrastructure relevant to the broader effort to develop shared government services.

Members also approved a Digital Government Award Committee and reviewed cooperation with the European Union, China and Egypt, including the exchange of experience in maintaining government services during disruptions.

Building on digital government progress

Albudaiwi pointed to the region's existing digital government capacity. He said its average score in the World Bank's GovTech Maturity Index increased from about 65 in 2020 to 88 out of 100 in 2025, compared with a global average of about 59. GCC countries also scored around 90 in digital government service delivery, against about 66 globally.

The World Bank describes the index as an overview of government technology maturity, covering public systems, online services, citizen engagement and supporting policies. It is not a country ranking. The figures therefore provide context for the region's existing capabilities, rather than measuring the impact of the newly approved AI strategy.

The latest edition also includes an indicator on policies for the ethical use of AI. This places AI governance within a wider assessment of public-sector systems and institutions, recognizing that government technology development involves safeguards as well as new services.

Preparations for the ministerial meeting were already on the agenda of the GCC Digital Government Executive Committee in May. Bahrain's Information & eGovernment Authority said those discussions included AI ethics readiness work and regional digital government initiatives.

The executive committee also reviewed Bahrain's MyGov app as a national initiative to integrate services and improve the user experience. It provides a concrete example of the service coordination Gulf governments have been examining alongside AI policy.

Overall, this announcement suggests significant practical gains by the member states, although realization will depend on the states turning these shared priorities into working services.