PFC: Efforts to transform Iraq into a global market for transferring Internet capacities

Baghdad - INA
The Parliamentary Finance Committee confirmed today, Saturday, the existence of efforts to transform Iraq into a global market for transferring Internet capacities.

A statement by the committee, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), stated that “The Parliamentary Finance Committee, headed by Atwan Al-Atwani, and in the presence of its members, hosted the Minister of Communications, Hiam Al-Yasiri, to discuss ways to advance the reality of the communications sector in Iraq and raise the level of services provided to citizens, because of this’s direct impact on economical development".

The statement added, "The meeting discussed the most prominent problems facing the ministry's work and the possibility of providing it with the necessary support in order to implement the provisions of the government program related to the communications sector."  

Al-Atwani stressed, “the necessity of advancing the communications sector and developing electronic services,” stressing, “the Parliamentary Finance Committee’s keenness to review what has been implemented, as stipulated in Paragraph 17 of the Federal Budget Law (2023-2025), regarding increasing communications revenues and improving the quality of services.” He added, “We rely a lot on the Ministry of Communications, to be the second financial resource for the state after oil.” 

Al-Atwani stressed, “The necessity of digital transformation in all sectors, including customs and ports, and this requires securing and improving Internet service, continuously and without interruption, in a manner that is consistent with the government’s endeavor to automate these sectors and undermine the outlets for corruption.”

He warned, "The hosting also comes to identify the ministry's needs, in preparation for including them in the 2024 budget schedules, the schedules of which are expected to reach the Finance Committee next week."  

Al-Atwani pledged to “adopt the demands and proposals put forward by the Minister before the Finance Committee, including providing the necessary financial allocations to develop communications infrastructure, ensuring the expansion of port gates in light of the increasing demand for this service, in addition to purchasing advanced devices to block websites targeting Iraqi society, as well as by giving the Ministry the authority to collect fees for commercial advertisements on social media sites and to prosecute violators.  

The Chairman of the Finance Committee stressed, "The necessity of completing the steps to transform Iraq into a global market for transferring Internet capacities by attracting customers, after the submarine cable service entered the commercial operation phase, which brings significant revenues to the state."