The KRG has placed digital transformation at the core of its long-term development strategy with the aim of making government more efficient, transparent, and accountable.
The most significant development in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) will take place in digital transformation in the coming years. The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) vision for digitalization will transform all aspects of business and society in the KRI.
The Department of IT (DIT), the main body for the KRG’s digital transformation, is tasked with establishing the digital infrastructure of the government institutions and to optimize the administration of public services. The DIT’s primary mandate is to accelerate digitization in Kurdistan and move the region closer to becoming a digital nation, society, and economy. To ensure its success, the KRG has elevated the status of the DIT, which now reports directly to the Prime Minister’s office.
The DIT’s primary mandate is to transform the government to be citizen centric by the means of digital technologies.
The DIT is focusing on increasing the number of digital services used and delivered by the government to citizens and their integration, enabling government agencies to use shared IT platforms such as data centers, and building standards and practices to deploy IT in the government.
The KRG’s digital transformation strategy is based on three core principles:
- Customer-centric: Citizens and employees are both customers of government digital services. DIT will consult to understand their needs and deliver services accessible through a range of devices.
- Shared Platform: A shared platform approach will reduce costs, safeguard data, and enhance the availability and consistency of services. DIT’s digital transformation strategy will be planned centrally and delivered across ministries, ensuring cost efficiency and a consistent outcome.
- Security and Privacy: Government’s digital infrastructure and services will be designed with high security built-in. This will ensure that citizens and their data are safe.
Data Center
DIT is working on establishing the first T3 data center of the Kurdistan Regional Government making the consolidation of government digital data and services possible and enable enterprise application sharing across government agencies.
The DIT aims to create efficiency in administration by automating key functions and using common ICT infrastructure across all government bodies.
Digital Identity
A major focus of the DIT is the digital identity for every citizen and resident of the KRI. Following the successful implementation of KRG’s biometric registration program in the past, DIT’s approach is planned to be multi phased involving relevant stake holders such as Ministries of Interior, Planning as well as Finance. The digital identity project is planned to be implemented in phases starting at the end of 2020.
Digital Services
DIT will also transform government behind the scenes, centralizing systems from payroll to human resources, ensuring that our civil servants can work efficiently and are accountable for their work.
The KRG’s e-government strategy outlines a vision of embracing technology to create a more efficient, effective, accessible, and transparent government that meets the needs of individuals and business.
In order to improve the accessibility and effectiveness of government services, the DIT aims to bring the following digital services in 2020 online:
- Tax system
- E-notary system
- E-land registry system
- Company registration system
GOV.KRD: One portal for all government services
The DIT has created a single government portal, GOV.KRD, to allow digital delivery of services and information to citizens, residents, visitors and investors.
