Obstacles to the transition towards a digital economy... The incident of the company (Erethlink) as a model

 Dr. Hamed Rahim Janani

The economic development processes were and are still paralyzed in Iraq mainly for political factors and factors to keep pace with developments in the global economic activity in the digital transformations in the economic activity, which requires infrastructure through the marriage between private experiences andthe internal economic reality, inaddition to legal legislation

First: What is onlythe digital economy is the use of information technology andcommunication machines in the driving aspects of economic activities, which expands the scope of opportunities available

Requirements forthe digital economy:

1 Thetechnological infrastructure

2 Hardware, software and networks

3 Digital mechanisms through which business and others take place

Second: The strategic dimension of the digitaleconomy through

1 The basis and digital basis to reach the level of infrastructure to the point that it can keep pace with technological changes

2 Creativity and digital innovation to keep pace with the technological future and provide education systems and skills that help innovation

3 Empowering the citizen digitally to maximize the benefit of individuals from the use of digital technology

4 Digital business to enable companies to use technology effectively

5 Digital governments to provide a digital government that targets technological investment for the benefit of its citizens, reducing dealing costs, raising the quality of life for citizens, and achieving transparency

Third: Foreign investment and local companies through two types

First: Real investment that appears in the form of productive projects of goods or services

Second: financial appears in the form of financial speculation and exchange of shares, bonds and other securities, any investments in the stock exchange

Fourth: Iraq and the index of transformation towards the digital economy Iraq  is classified according to the Arab Digital Economic Union and the Council of Arab Economic Unity in the League of Arab States in the third and final list and one of the countries that need digital activation and more investments to maximize the capabilities of its digital infrastructure

Fifth, the Internet by attracting the best companies and settling them in the Iraqi economy  in addition to the effort that is based on partnerships with companies and international expertise with great comparative advantages, and perhaps the company (Earthlink) is one of the important companies in the field of Internet service,  as the company was founded in 2005 and has a processing system for a group of sub-companies spread in 15 provinces except the region,  In 2011, it became the largest Internet provider in Iraq with important business partnerships with the Iraqi Ministry of Communications

The security element is the important aspect of investment performance, whether local or foreign, or a partnership between the two sides, and the security incident that companies were exposed to in their central building in Baghdad 5/9/2022 is a very dangerous targeting, according to what has been reviewed of the challenges facing Iraq on the road to transformation towards a digital economy