Qubad Talabani: Techfest can make Kurdistan an important technology center

PUKMEDIA

Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani

Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, said that the Techfest exhibition shows the energy and innovation of young people and that it can turn Kurdistan into a strong technology center.

In Sulaymaniyah, the Techfest technology fair was launched on Thursday, February 16, 2023, showcasing over seventy-five innovative ideas. The event demonstrates creative technology projects created by bright youth and undergrads.

Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani joined by Dr. Aram Hama Mina, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, attended the event and spoke with the innovators about their achievements.

During an interview at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani stated: "This is a good incentive for our youngsters and a demonstration of their enthusiasm and creativity. The future of Kurdistan, the market, governance, peace, and security, as well as our economy, rests on technology; thus, we must support these initiatives."

He added, "Since my return to Kurdistan, I have always tried to incorporate technology and electronics into the management of government affairs because the management system was so antiquated; however, with the introduction of the electronic system, the administration of offices, border crossings, and even our communications have improved."

"Biometrics was a successful attempt to register and determine the number of employees and their salaries," The Deputy Prime Minister explained. "The second phase of biometrics has begun, which consists of several components, one of which is the online distribution of salaries and we will make every effort to advance the system to its next phase."

"Another initiative of the government towards electronic governance is the implementation of a one-stop system in government offices, allowing citizens to complete their business at a single window and reducing routine," he stated.

"Shafafiat (Transparency Project) is the most recent technological effort to make governance electronic. In addition to providing transparency in revenue, this project also identifies our weak points and helps us address them," he said. "In the near future, the issue of expenditures will be added to Shafafiat, so that every citizen will be able to see how their taxes are spent.

At the conclusion of the event, the Deputy Prime Minister stated: "oil revenues have made us lazy and have become a disease, causing us to forget the importance of other sectors; therefore, it is time to treat this disease and pay more attention to the agriculture and tourism sectors, as well as the ability of our youth in the field of technology and make the Kurdistan Region an important center not only for Iraq but for the entire region."

Fifty cyber security competitors, about one hundred gamers from the Techfest game zone competition, and twenty-five problem-solving competitors are participating in the event.

Techfest is the largest technology exhibition in Iraq and is held at the Sulaymaniyah International Exhibition. The duration of the event is three days.



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