Digital Transformation in Iraq: Combating Corruption through E-Governance

Shafaq News/ In Iraq’s ongoing fight against corruption, experts highlight e-governance as essential to transforming administrative practices across government ministries. This shift toward digital systems goes beyond modernization, aiming to reshape interactions between public servants and citizens to curb opportunities for corruption. Initial efforts have begun in critical sectors, though obstacles remain due to entrenched bureaucratic resistance and a deeply rooted culture of corruption. Still, advocates argue that e-governance is key to enhancing transparency and building public trust, marking a necessary step toward modern governance in Iraq.

E-Governance: Reform to Modernize Administration and Curb Corruption

E-governance in Iraq is seen not merely as a tool to combat corruption but as an integral part of modern management science, according to Kazem Al-Shammari, a member of Iraq's parliamentary Committee on Economy, Industry, and Trade. “This science is essential for all sectors of the Iraqi state,” Al-Shammari revealed to Shafaq News.

Al-Shammari affirmed parliamentary support for governmental measures aimed at rolling out e-governance across ministries. Initial implementations have already begun in customs, tax departments, and other key areas. "We hope the government accelerates its efforts," he said, adding that “the initiative should become part of the culture among officials and employees alike.”

Rejecting any opposition to e-governance, Al-Shammari emphasized that resistance would keep Iraq "administratively backward and plagued by corruption," while employees would remain reliant on outdated paperwork and unable to engage with global advancements in management.

On the other hand, According to the financial and economic expert Dr. Safwan Qusay, the administration of the Iraqi PM, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, appears committed to "combating corruption through investment in automation," he explained that the government's three-year budget program (2023-2024-2025) includes targets to establish a comprehensive e-system. The system, called "Ur," currently features over 400 instant services, “which will contribute to tracking government procedures and their responsiveness to service seekers and improve collection through financial inclusion, he pointed out.”

"This governance initiative aims to increase transparency and procedures quality within government units and enhance performance in the public interest," Qusay stated to Shafaq News. The government has pledged to enforce e-governance across both public and private sectors in dealing with customers, in order to control speculators, money transfers scams, fake goods, and specifications that are not suitable for the needs of consumers and producers.

Revenue Boost Through E-Governance Reforms

On the extent to which e-governance contributes to reducing corruption, with the power sector serving as a prime example, financial expert Dr. Safwan Qusay told Shafaq News, “The Ministry of Electricity has projected annual revenues of roughly 9 trillion dinars ($6.2 billion), yet actual collections rarely exceed 2 trillion dinars due to factors such as uncollected bills, losses from non-payment, and unauthorized usage. Implementing electronic billing could help curb these losses by introducing prepaid systems similar to those used in telecom and other sectors, allowing consumers to purchase electricity via preloaded cards and at the same time activate the collection.”

Qusay added that the annual non-oil revenue target across all government sectors stands at 27 trillion dinars (about $20,610 billion), but actual collections barely reach 10 trillion dinars. “If Iraq successfully enhances the “Ur” digital platform and integrates internal systems, full revenue collection could be achievable, potentially adding at least 17 trillion dinars in revenue. Moreover, such reforms would align government unit performance assessments with international transparency standards”, Qusay explained.

Recognizing the importance of this initiative, the Baghdad Provincial Council took the lead.

Baghdad E-Governance Anti-Corruption Push

The Head of Baghdad's Provincial Council Committee on E-Governance and Communications, Muthanna Al-Azzawi, announced that the first step in establishing an electronic governance system will be through the "Baghdaduna" platform.

Launched earlier this month, the platform will “gradually integrate services from all government sectors in the province, with plans to replicate successful models in other regions,” Al-Azzawi told Shafaq News.

On October 15, Al-Azzawi declared the establishment of the E-Governance and Communications Committee in Baghdad, alongside the launch of the "Baghdaduna" platform, which offers over 25 digital services for citizens accessible via smart devices.

E-Governance Challenges of Bureaucratic Resistance and Corruption

Iraq's "Ur" platform, a comprehensive system with portals for each federal ministry to display government activities, faces resistance in certain ministries, noted Qusay. He clarified to Shafaq News that while some ministries have embraced digital applications, others hinder implementation, perpetuating manual processes to exploit citizens and fostering distrust in government systems. "The more we manage this process technically, the more we reduce corruption and waste in public funds.”

Anti-corruption researcher Dr. Ghaleb Al-Daami pointed to corruption itself as a key obstacle to e-governance in Iraq. "If fully implemented, this system could drastically reduce corruption by limiting direct interaction between officials and citizens," Al-Daami asserted.

Using an example from Iraqi traffic offices, he noted that face-to-face encounters often fuel corruption. " When procedures are facilitated by using the e-government system, minimizing direct contact eliminates, corruption will end. The need for bribes to expedite transactions, as the system’s core purpose is to streamline procedures and accelerate service delivery," Al-Daami concluded.

Al-Daami concluded by stating that “the e-governance system significantly contributes to reducing the effort and money of citizens and largely curbing corruption. If implemented across all state departments, “citizens would benefit, avoiding paperwork, loss, and misplacement, all of which are forms of corruption.” However, the main challenge facing the full implementation of the governance system in Iraq, according to him, is the existence of corruption, as applying this system would undermine corruption and eliminate those who practice it as well.