Iraqi lawmaker says government pushing to build dedicated cybersecurity units across ministries

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A member of Iraq's parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, Yasir Watwut, said cybersecurity has become one of the country's national security priorities as digital transformation accelerates across government and the economy. Watwut said the government supports the creation of dedicated cybersecurity units in all ministries and state institutions, and that the work is in its early stages. He added that national personnel are being assigned to these units and that efforts are continuing to establish a national academy specializing in cybersecurity. Programs are also under way to train Iraqi staff at security agencies, particularly the interior and defense ministries, to respond to electronic attacks, according to Watwut. He stressed that cybersecurity extends beyond the security sector to include protecting the financial and economic sectors, government and private digital platforms, and citizens' data. Watwut said officials are also working on a comprehensive legal framework for data protection and new regulations in the field. No further details on the timeline of the planned legislation were immediately available.