Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry has been urged to set up a comprehensive registry of citizens residing abroad.
MP Jalal Kadhem Al Mahfoodh submitted a legislative proposal, which was yesterday referred by Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam to the foreign affairs, defence and national security committee.
It calls on the Foreign Ministry to develop a dedicated electronic platform where Bahraini citizens living abroad would be required to register their personal information and keep it up to date.
According to the proposed law, every Bahraini who relocates abroad will be required to register within 30 days of leaving the kingdom, either via the digital platform or through Bahraini diplomatic missions.
The Foreign Minister will issue executive decisions specifying what data should be included in the registry and how it should be updated.
The registry has been envisioned as a critical tool for improving communication between the ministry and citizens, especially in cases of emergencies such as conflicts, natural disasters or security threats. It would also assist in statistical tracking, policy planning and enhancing the Foreign Ministry’s services to Bahrainis abroad.
The GDN on Saturday reported that Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani had highlighted the importance of voluntary registration at diplomatic missions abroad. Dr Al Zayani’s written response to Mr Al Mahfoodh was supposed to be debated during the session yesterday.
However, in a letter, the minister apologised for not attending the session this week owing to commitments abroad.
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