Abu Dhabi, October 7 (BNA): At the first Legislative Parliamentary Forum, which was organized by the Federal National Council (FNC), Bahrain’s parliamentary division was led by Sadiq Eid Al Rahma, a member of the Shura Council.
Bahrain participates in first Legislative Parliamentary Forum
The forum seeks to improve GCC states’ legislative cooperation and knowledge sharing on contemporary technologies.
Al Rahma emphasized that the Kingdom of Bahrain has placed a high priority on creating a thorough legal and regulatory framework for artificial intelligence (AI), recognizing both the ethical and societal issues it raises as well as its enormous potential to propel advancement. He pointed out that this strategy is a result of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s orders and the continuous supervision of Prime Minister and Crown Prince His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
He pointed out that in order to guarantee the proper and safe use of digital technologies, Bahrain’s AI legislative framework combines strategic plans with national legislation. He emphasized the important laws that form this foundation, such as the Electronic Communications and Transactions Law (Law 54 of 2018), the Law (30) of 2018 with Respect to Personal Data Protection Law, and the Information Technology Law (Law 60 of 2014), all of which are in line with international standards and improve cybersecurity and digital trust.
Al Rahma continued by saying that ethical and human factors are ingrained in the core of policymaking in Bahrain’s AI and digital transformation plans as well as the country’s cybersecurity strategy. In order to promote responsible innovation and protect national and societal interests, he praised the GCC for issuing the Guiding Manual on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
In order to preserve operational efficiency and guarantee accountability, transparency, and the protection of individual rights, he also emphasized the necessity of balanced laws controlling the use of AI in human resource management.
Using Bahrain‘s experience creating the Guiding Manual on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence as a model, Al Rahma also urged the adoption of a single GCC AI public procurement policy, backed by a common contractual and ethical framework, to improve openness, good governance, and risk reduction.
The forum’s objectives were to strengthen proactive laws and parliamentary procedures that encourage responsible innovation in GCC nations and address new legislative challenges in AI.
