A major two-day conference bringing together leaders, innovators and experts shaping the cities of tomorrow will be held next week at the Gulf Hotel Convention and Spa in Manama.
The ninth edition of the Bahrain Smart Cities Summit 2026 will take place in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.
Senior officials, industry leaders and participants from within Bahrain and abroad are expected to attend the event, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
The opening ceremony will begin at 9am on the first day.
The summit will feature participation from GCC countries, alongside experts and specialists from across the Arab region and beyond, with a programme of sessions and workshops focused on urban development and smart city advancement.
Presentations and working papers will be delivered by local and international government entities, while an accompanying exhibition will include participation from both public and private sector organisations.
The event will also recognise innovative solutions and best practices advancing smart city development in Bahrain through a series of awards aimed at promoting sustainable, efficient and technology-driven initiatives.
Award categories include AIoT Innovation, Waste Management Solutions, Artificial Intelligence in Fintech, Excellence in ESG Implementation, and Renewable Energy and Sustainability Initiatives.
An open category – the Smart Cities Initiative Award – will honour outstanding projects across multiple sectors.
An exhibition will run alongside the conference, offering companies the opportunity to showcase their services to government decision-makers, developers, investors and industry leaders. Exhibitors are encouraged to present their latest solutions, build strategic partnerships and access regional projects shaping the future of cities in Bahrain and the wider GCC.
On the agenda, the first day will explore topics such as Government Integration in Shaping Future Cities.
Interior Ministry Deputy Chief of Public Security Major General Dr Shaikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Khalifa will lead a lecture titled ‘A Model for Integrated Border Security Management: The Kingdom of Bahrain, by Interior Ministry.’
Other discussions include talks on ‘Building an Integrated National Digital Ecosystem’ by Information & eGovernment Authority deputy chief executive for eTransformation Ali Janahi, and ‘Creating an Ecosystem for Innovation, Investment and Digital Growth’ by Digital City Development Company – Beyon chief executive Daniel Dugina.
The second day will open at 9am with a presentation on UAE Experiences in Smart City Development by Ajman Municipality, followed by Transforming the Citizen Housing Journey Through Digital Innovation by Eskan Bank senior manager Khalid Al Khajah.
Additional discussions will cover Omani experiences in sustainable urban transformation, Bahrain’s future transport ecosystem, and advances beyond chatbots towards autonomous AI operations.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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