Saudi and Bahrain to launch health passport

The initiative ensures that those travelling between the kingdoms meet the necessary precautionary Covid-19 measures

Bahrain’s Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) has signed a MoU with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) to launch a health passport, which ensures that citizens and residents travelling between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia meet the precautionary Covid-19 measures set by both kingdoms.

The move aims to streamline traffic via the King Fahd Causeway, and capitalises on the technical compatibility of the BeAware Bahrain and Saudi’s Tawakkalna apps, linking both apps to the two kingdom’s passport systems.

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Linking the systems will provide a comprehensive and accurate database of travellers, which will ease procedures and save the public time and effort. It will also enable King Fahd Causeway employees to immediately inspect travellers’ health data.

The agreement was signed by iGA CEO Mohammed Ali Al Qaed and SDAIA President Dr Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi at a ceremony held at SDAIA’s premises in Riyadh, in the presence of Shaikh Hmood bin Abdulla bin Hamad Alkhalifa and other officials from both countries.

The MoU underlines the strong relationship between the two kingdoms and their commitment to the protection of citizens and residents from the impact of the pandemic.