Iraq, Kurdistan must develop strong digital regulatory framework: UNDP

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq and the Kurdistan Region must have a clear strategy of digital governance, a strong regulatory framework, and closer public–private cooperation as essential for advancing their digital transformation, an official from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) told Rudaw in an interview.

The private sector could play an important role in developing a digital economy that is part of diversification efforts away from oil, but investors need “a stable regulatory environment” and consistent rules across the country, said Sascha Graumann, UNDP deputy resident representative in Iraq.

“It’s not so much the lack of technology that would hold the development of digitalization back,” he said. “It has a lot to do with the fragmentation of mandates between different institutions… and these are governance issues that need to be addressed.”

“The regulatory framework is still very complicated and very fragmented,” he added.

Graumann spoke to Rudaw's Zhyar Hakim on the sidelines of the first Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Erbil on Sunday. The event brought together officials, digital experts and global organizations to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the rapidly evolving digital age.

Opening the forum, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Transport and Communications Minister Ano Jawhar Abdoka said, “Today, we are not merely launching a conference. We are opening a new chapter for the Kurdistan Region’s digital future - a future that is open, secure, innovative and globally connected.”

“By hosting IGF Kurdistan for the first time today… the Kurdistan Region officially steps into the global digital dialogue - not merely as an observer, but as an active contributor,” he said.

Graumann also highlighted the role of education in digital safety. “Children engage with the internet from a very young age… It is important that in schools children are being prepared to understand what the risks are,” he said.

The following is the full transcript of the interview with Sascha Graumann, UNDP deputy resident representative in Iraq:

Rudaw: How does strong internet and online governance support the growth of modern technology?

Sascha Graumann: First of all, let me start by congratulating the organizers of this important event for arranging this first Internet Governance Forum in Kurdistan. I think it's a very important step that the organizers have taken in order also to move internet governance forward and facilitate a dialogue between the different stakeholders. And I think that's a very important first step that needs to happen because in our experience, it's not so much the lack of technology that would hold the development of digitalization back here in Iraq. It has a lot to do with the fragmentation of mandates between different institutions that needs to be overcome, and that's something the government can work on. With the weak interoperability of data systems, which siloed data systems—that's very much the problem. And these are governance issues that need to be addressed, coordination issues that need to be addressed. And I think here are the entry points for the government to improve digital governance.

How can the framework government overcome those challenges?

I think there needs to be a clear strategy for the digitalization that needs to be involved, developed by all the stakeholders that are involved in that. I just learned today, for instance, that the regulatory framework is still very complicated and very fragmented. In order to move particular things forward, lots of different institutions need to be involved, need to clear and approve things. And that process needs to be streamlined. There needs to be a clear regulatory framework that would also provide for the private sector a clear framework in which to operate. And I think these are entry points where the government comes from.

And how can the government and private sector collaborate more effectively to advance the digital transformation?

I think the involvement of the private sector is critically important. First of all, because as Iraq has acknowledged, in order to move forward, the diversification of the economy—the non-oil economy—is critically important, and the digital economy would be one particular part that would provide a good entry point for that. But the private sector also needs a stable regulatory environment. It needs to know what, across the country, are the rules under which they can engage. And if there is a more systematic dialogue between the government and the private sector stakeholders on creating this regulatory framework and streamlining the regulatory framework in a way that is more conducive to investment of private companies, I think that would play an important role in moving the agenda forward.

And in your opinion, to what extent are Kurdistan Region and Iraq prepared to regulate technologies like blockchain or digital identity or artificial intelligence?

I think there are good steps that have been taken in terms of understanding the environment in which digital governance takes place in the country. For instance, as UNDP, we have been working with the government to prepare a digital landscape assessment to better understand what the regulatory framework is like. And I think that's a good first step to engage into this process.

In terms of violence against women, what are the most common online risks against women and children that they are facing in Iraq?

I haven't seen a particular assessment on that, but I think what is generally important is that, of course, we create an environment that is safe for children, for women, for families to engage with internet technology. And because generally, we believe that internet governance should be driven by three principles: its importance of inclusion, integrity, and trust. And that means in terms of inclusion, that basically the internet environment is available and accessible to everyone, no matter whether they live in urban or in rural areas, for instance, no matter what the level of internet literacy is. Secondly, integrity is really important as far as these issues are concerned. There needs to be safeguards, safeguards for the use of data, for instance. And lastly, it is important that the citizens trust the institutions that are in place to provide the internet and digital governance. Because only if they are trusted institutions, citizens will use the opportunities that digitalization offers to them.

And regarding issues such as misinformation and cybercrime, where do you see the biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge is probably the regulatory environment again. There needs to be a clear regulatory framework that is enforced by the relevant institutions to ensure that people are safe on the internet.

And to what extent is the Kurdistan Region prepared for those challenges?

I think the Kurdistan Region has, especially with this forum for instance, made a good first step in moving forward in that direction. We heard from the panelists today about the engagement of the private sector. There is a lot of interest and investment that's going on, and this is good. But it also highlights some of the challenges that we have seen and that different stakeholders are facing. But the discussion that we have been able to follow today shows very much that there is a lot of goodwill and interest in overcoming these challenges in terms of fragmentation of responsibilities, for instance.

And how can the government and technology companies better coordinate to provide a safer digital space?

One of the proposals that were made today here is to have a digital council. And I think that's a good first step. When you create a platform where technology companies and the government sit around the table and discuss these issues and have an inclusive dialogue among the various stakeholders about how to create a digital economy that is accessible for everyone.

What role should schools and universities play in raising awareness of digital safety?

I think the role of schools and universities is critically important for that. Children engage with the internet from a very young age nowadays, and there are risks involved in that. So it is important that in schools children are being prepared on how to engage, to better understand what the risks are, to be prepared and open to speak about what they experience on the internet. So it is very important to have that exchange and provide the space for children, for young people to also raise concerns about what they experience on the internet.

Do you have any roadmaps for Kurdistan Region and Baghdad to better control online crime or cybercrime?

We haven't worked on roadmaps on that so far, but of course that's something that we would be prepared to work with the government on.

I mean, do you have any recommendations?

Recommendations… I think it needs to start with the regulatory framework. It is important that there is clarity in the regulatory framework about the roles of different actors and the mandates of different institutions in the government so that everybody knows what their roles are, what the role of the Ministry of Interior is in enforcing, working against online crime and hate speech, for instance.

And UNAMI is nearing the completion of its mission in Iraq. Does this have any impact on the UNDP?

No. I think UNAMI has fulfilled its mission in the country. It is now leaving. UNDP will continue its work in the country. We have a different mission in terms of supporting the development of the country. And we are here to stay and to continue working with the government, both the federal government as well as the regional government here in Kurdistan, to support the development of the country.

What needs to be done to ensure that the regulatory frameworks and development and innovation work together rather than in opposite directions—in opposition to each other, I mean.

Okay. It depends very much on how the regulatory framework is created in a way that it provides opportunities for the private sector to grow. That it is—that it provides safeguards on the one hand, but on the other hand, it also provides the space to innovate and is not stifling innovation. If there are too many institutions involved in an uncoordinated way, it makes it very difficult for the private sector to engage because you need to get approvals for things from different institutions. So it is important that there's a clear regulatory framework that's clearly enforced by a clearly mandated regulator. So that's also a clear entry point for the private sector and to engage and to innovate.

How can government institutions build the necessary expertise to keep up with the rapid pace of digital transformation and digital technological advancements?

I think it's a matter of developing the capacity in the government, both institutionally in terms of having clearly mandated government institutions as well as also the human capacity, of course. Using the capacity that's being built in schools and in universities to build up the capacity of the government to engage and to create the institutional framework that's predictable and conducive to an innovative environment.