The Bahrain Institute of Public Administration (BIPA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a project agreement at the United Nations (UN) House, Hoora.

The project aims to establish innovation labs, which will support the strategic path of the government’s actions towards achieving inclusive sustainable development.

The innovation labs will aim to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of government performance through developing an innovative agenda that will highlight the proposed solutions for government agencies as well as offer a platform to deliver scientific-based policies that will contribute to achieving sustainable development.

It was signed by BIPA director general Dr Raed Bin Shams and (UN) resident co-ordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative Amin El Sharkawi.

Dr Bin Shams stated that BIPA seeks through government innovation labs, the integration of the concept of innovation into the government’s system to achieve an effective and sustainable institutional culture.

“The innovation labs will stimulate creativity and innovation,” he added.

“It will also provide the right tools to come up with innovative projects and initiatives based on scientific methods and methodologies.”

“The innovation labs are in line with the BIPA’s four strategic objectives for enhancing services aligned with the developmental aspirations, providing optimal resource management and leadership enabling service provision, enhanced and supportive policies for the processes of sustainable development, and providing a culture of continuous change and innovation for development.

“BIPA’s aspiration is to make every government employee capable of making government policies that contribute to solving the problems and upgrading the governmental work system by giving them the tools, which help them to create government projects, and initiatives, which in return will contribute to raise the efficiency of the work system for the government.”

Mr Al Sharkawi said the innovation labs were a new concept in the government system.

“They introduce a new innovative way to confront challenges and provide a comprehensive set of new tools and methodologies.”

He added that these efforts are also the beginning of co-operation to establish innovation labs across the country focusing on several topics with partners such as Bahrain University and the Youth and Sport Affairs Ministry.