H.E. Eng. Ebrahim bin Hassan Al Hawaj, Minister of Works, affirmed that enhancing environmental sustainability and preserving natural resources are key contributors to the Kingdom's comprehensive development under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain, may God protect him. He highlighted the support extended to afforestation efforts and the development of irrigation solutions by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may God protect him, as well as His Royal Highness's keen interest in encouraging creativity and innovation and adopting high-quality ideas that enhance resource-use efficiency and expand green spaces.
His Excellency emphasized that the meeting held by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may God protect him, with the winners of the Irrigation Solutions Innovation Competition, and His Royal Highness's praise for their innovative ideas and initiatives, reflect his commitment to fostering a culture of creativity and innovation in government work. He noted that this approach encourages national talent to develop innovative solutions that contribute to improving services, enhancing performance efficiency, and transforming creative ideas into practical projects that deliver added value and support sustainable development.
His Excellency added that the Ministry of Works continues to develop irrigation systems and utilize modern technologies and smart solutions to support the implementation of the afforestation plan and the Bahrain Mangroves Initiative, contributing to the expansion of green spaces and the enhancement of environmental sustainability.
The Minister of Works also commended the winning ideas in the Irrigation Solutions Innovation Competition. These included the Smart Water Transportation concept, which aims to develop the irrigation network through a smart irrigation system utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and artificial intelligence; the Reuse of the Rainwater Drainage Network concept, which involves transporting treated wastewater during dry periods for irrigation purposes; and a smart irrigation system for detecting leaks, which uses artificial intelligence to optimize irrigation schedules and water quantities. He affirmed that these ideas demonstrate the promising capabilities of national talent to develop practical solutions that enhance irrigation network efficiency, rationalize water consumption, and maximize the use of available resources.
His Excellency further noted that the Ministry of Works places great importance on applying innovation and modern technologies to the development of infrastructure and related services, as well as evaluating initiatives that improve operational efficiency and ensure the optimal use of resources. He reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to benefiting from innovative ideas and strengthening cooperation with relevant entities to support project implementation in accordance with best practices and technical standards.
