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PM's speech at launch of IT Academy

THU, 10 SEP 2009 19:36 | KRG.org

Erbil, 10th September 2009

Speech by KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani

Dear distinguished guests and attendants,

Good morning and welcome.

I am pleased and privileged to be here with you today to take part in unveiling a great achievement and another step in the institutional progress the Kurdistan Region, which is the launch of the Information Technology Academy.

This Academy is another tangible landmark of the firm relations and friendship between the Kurdistan Region and the Republic of Korea. On this occasion, I would like to reiterate the gratitude and appreciation of the people and the government of the Kurdistan Region to the Korean Government and KOICA. We reaffirm the continuation of our lasting strategic relations and friendship with the government and companies of South Korea.

It is evident that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has enhanced its efforts to deliver basic services to the people of the Region. This has included increased supply of electricity, infrastructure development, water resources, housing and other projects.

We are proud of these achievements. But for lasting prosperity, we must provide more than basic services. We must do our best to provide citizens with the skills necessary for success in the workplace. I refer now to our human resource capacity – the ability of the individual to excel in key fields of business is essential for the development of the Region. It is our duty to develop our human resources.

The concept of establishing an Information Technology Academy dates back to the term of the fourth cabinet. I asked the Minister of Humanitarian Assistance and Cooperation to develop the project proposal, which was submitted to the Government of South Korea.

And here is a suitable time and place to thank Dr Shafiq Qazzaz, who was at that time the
Minister of Humanitarian Assistance and Cooperation. He worked very hard with KOICA so that this project could begin as soon as possible.

Two years ago, when we laid the foundation stone of the Information Technology Academy building, our vision was for this institution to be ‘a centre for learning’.Today we are happy to see that, in addition to a modern building and advanced equipment, the process of learning has begun and will expand. University faculties – the teachers of the new generation – were the first to be trained here.

The Academy is more than a place to learn about information technology. It exemplifies the most important type of progress for our Region – a tool for sustainable development.

The KRG places great importance on information technology because we live in a new world where information and communication are strategic assets. We see ICT as a progressive and significant driving force for our future. ICT will be our key to unlocking great potential in the Kurdistan Region, helping us take leaps and bounds towards the development of our region.

We must embrace new approaches to transform the Kurdistan Region, its people, civil society, private sector and government in the 21st century. The road ahead carries opportunities and challenges, so we must embrace new thinking and allow ICT to help us seize the opportunities and overcome our challenges, for the good of our people. Recognising its importance to our present and future and its integration into our way of life will spearhead our competitive partnership in the global community.

In 1992, we established the KRG and worked towards its success and development. Now, in the 21st century, we have started laying the foundation of the ‘Electronic Kurdistan Regional Government’ (e-KRG).

We have the opportunity in the Kurdistan Region to learn from the experience of other countries, such as the United States and South Korea, to build our e-government in a shorter time and with newer technology. It is important to consider the experience of other countries, which shows us that leadership, plans, strategies, skilled human resources, and time are essential for success.

Integrating information technology into government institutions helps us modernise the public sector. Public sector modernisation will enable the government to function more efficiently and deliver better services to citizens. Having an efficient government will also help us to create a better climate for investors in the private sector as well as overall economic development. Ultimately, our efforts will result in a better quality of life for all in the Kurdistan Region.

To achieve this goal, we have adopted an institutional process. First, we have established the Department of Information Technology at the Council of Ministers to lead the government’s strategic and systemic IT initiatives, coordinate the IT initiatives of the ministries, provide advice and technical support at the senior level of government, and pave the way to develop IT in the community and the private sector.

The institutional process of the government, through the Department of Information Technology, applies ‘new public administration’ principles. This process and new way of management is an experience that could be useful for other sectors and government institutions.

We have already reached important achievements which make us proud. Some examples are developing a KRG Employees ID Card System and Human Resources Database, Information Technology Academy, and starting the project of developing the KRG IT Strategy and Roadmap.

The ID Card System unified the KRG ID cards and provides a standard identity to government employees. The human resource database will provide critical information and analysis for the government for planning, managing and developing its human resources. We take pride in being among the pioneers in this area in the Middle East.

The Information Technology Academy will be a key medium for the development of capacity and necessary skills at the different levels of KRG. Here, I reiterate that the Iraqi federal government as well as the private sector can benefit from the Academy. There is no doubt that we need more similar academies to provide the expertise required for our progress.

The KRG places great significance in training its employees; therefore, it has trained a large number of employees inside and outside the Kurdistan Region. Furthermore, we incorporated computer lessons into the different levels of education and expanded IT specialisation in the universities and institutes of the Region.

The KRG ID Card System and the Information Technology Academy are two important regional initiatives of the KRG’s institutional process to develop information technology. However, the process is bigger than this.

The KRG has engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers for the development of a KRG IT Strategy and Roadmap. Through this project, the KRG will have a common IT vision, strategy and roadmap through the year 2015. To ensure an effective institutional IT process, a cabinet high committee provides general direction.

The KRG and PricewaterhouseCoopers teams have completed the assessment phase of the project in the KRG ministries and entities in Erbil, Suleimaniah and Duhok. Through this project the KRG currently has a broad network of people to develop IT; further, we have an on-the-ground understanding of the current functions and level of IT use in the KRG institutions.

The new cabinet will receive IT assessment reports about the KRG ministries, which are the products of the assessment phase of the IT Strategy Project. Thus, the new cabinet will have the opportunity to build on the efforts of the current cabinet.

Despite our achievements to date, our experience in the fifth cabinet tells us that great emphasis should be placed on providing specialised human resources in IT in order for our progress to take root and further expand. Moreover, better communications infrastructure is necessary for information technology development. It is imperative to be realistic and learn from the best practices of other countries. We need to be as fast as we can, but not rush, because a process of this magnitude needs proper time, planning and participation to ensure good results.

I would like to stress that IT development alone cannot achieve public sector modernisation. Enacting new laws, new systems of administration and working methods, and other reforms are necessary. Information technology is a tool, an enabler, and part of the solution.

What I have covered so far are the highlights of the KRG’s regional and institutional process. The KRG ministries and entities have many IT projects and activities, with which we are happy and appreciative. However, it is critical for our initiatives to work together towards one common vision. The KRG IT Strategy and Roadmap is a regional process in that direction.

It is obvious that we have taken good steps, but there are more to take. I reaffirm my optimism and continual support for developing IT in the government and throughout the Kurdistan Region. I am also confident that the new cabinet will support the development of information technology and modernisation of the public sector.

In conclusion I extend my gratitude to KOICA, and the people and the Government of South Korea for their continual cooperation. I also thank The Head and staff of the Department of Information Technology for their hard work. Similarly, I thank the ministers, director generals, directors, and employees of the KRG for their warm reception of this project and cooperation with the institutional and developmental process of information technology in the KRG.

I would like to say that, something from Mr Botan’s speech sparked my attention: to assist the Kurdistan Regional Government to work as one team. Unfortunately we have not seen much of this in the fifth Cabinet. I am not saying teamwork does not exist. But it has been limited. I hope that the next KRG Cabinet will work more as one team.

Our success lies in our learning to work as one team. I have seen from my experience in the Kurdistan Region that everybody is doing his or her best. The ministers, the deputy ministers, the director-generals – everybody is working very hard. Here I would like to refer to football as an example. All the players exert themselves as much as possible, but if no one passes the ball to the next player, no one will score a goal.

We all try our best but nobody is ready to pass the ball to his or her teammate. As long as this style of work continues in the Kurdistan Region, it will be impossible to achieve success.

From my experience working in the government, this has been a main shortcoming in the KRG. And I believe that this is the case all over Iraq. But we must not replicate the same error; we must all work as one team. Because we have one aim, and if we do not cooperate with each other, we will be left exhausted and we will never score or reach our goal.

I hope that Mr Botan will be successful in this regard. Once again, thank you very much.

See also the press release on the launch of the IT Academy.

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