Technology and Digital Transformation
Establishing a sovereign technological infrastructure that transitions Iraq from the position of consumer to active participant in the production of digital knowledge, through a national strategy for artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
Introduction
Technology in the twenty-first century is a sovereign sector on par with energy and security. This file presents a national roadmap for digital transformation anchored in infrastructure, human capital, and a legislative framework.
Key Challenges
- Weak digital infrastructure and dependence on foreign systems for critical services.
- Absence of a local technology industry and weakness of the startup ecosystem.
- Lag in digital legislation — data protection, electronic transactions, and intellectual property.
- Gap between technical education outputs and market requirements.
- Limited public investment in technical research and development.
Vision
Iraq as a participant in the global digital economy, possessing reliable infrastructure, a modern legislative framework, an active startup ecosystem, and qualified educational outputs that meet the needs of a growing technology market.
Action Axes
Digital Governance
Establishing a National Authority for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation reporting to the Prime Minister's office, and issuing a national digital transformation document that defines priorities and phases.
Sovereign Digital Infrastructure
Creating national data centres that host critical government services domestically, and developing high-speed internet networks to cover all governorates.
Legislative Framework
Enacting a personal data protection law, an electronic transactions law, and a cybercrime law in line with international standards.
Innovation Ecosystem
Building an incubation environment for startups through government-backed venture capital, tax incentives, and government procurement markets open to domestic products.