Iraq is an Asian country. While LIRNEasia is unable at this time to work in Iraq, our hearts are with the people of Iraq as they use ICTs to cope with the crazy murderousness of their world.
A excerpt from today’s New York Times story:
“Your call cannot be completed,” it says, “because the subscriber has been bombed or kidnapped.”
Cellphones have long been considered status symbols in developing countries, Iraq included. But in an environment where hanging out is potentially life threatening, cellphones are also a window into dreams and terrors, the macabre local sense of humor and Iraqis’ resilience amid the swells of violence.
The business here is booming. According to figures published last month by the State Department, there are now 7.1 million cellphone subscribers in Iraq, up from 1.4 million two years ago. In an economy where jobs can be as scarce as rain, billboards for phones are among the only advertisements updated regularly in the capital.
2 Comments
samarajiva
Comment from Bill Melody
Interesting commentary on communication demand under difficult circumstances. Tough way to promote ICT development, but it may have implications for other ccircumstances. Interesting Q is whether it is more likely to help the bad or the good guys more and promote war or peace. Bill
Abu Saeed Khan
People makes phone calls to convey either good news or bad news. The Iraqi people use mobile phones to share bad news and anxieties. It generates traffic and traffic generates revenue. Let’s take look at the financial results of Orascom Group and a closer look at Iraqna. http://www.orascomtelecom.com/investorrelations/EarningRelease.aspx
Balancing privacy and transparency: Thailand’s data governance at a crossroads
In an op-ed article published on 20 February 2026 in the Bangkok Post, Jompon Pitaksantayothin, Country Researcher for Thailand for LIRNEasia’s D4D Asia project, discusses the growing tensions within Thailand’s data governance framework following the introduction of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). While the PDPA was intended to strengthen privacy protections, its interaction with existing transparency laws has created confusion within government agencies about what information can be disclosed.
Can Copyright Law still serve the public interest in the age of AI?
The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence is reshaping debates around copyright, accessibility, and innovation. In a recent article published in The Hindu, Pranesh Prakash, Co-Principal Investigator for LIRNEasia’s D4D Asia Project, discusses how copyright law must adapt to the realities of AI-driven technologies in a way that balances creators’ rights with the public interest.
Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: Pakistan Country Report
This report on data governance in Pakistan is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices. This report is also part of a broader comparative effort that includes case studies from India, Indonesia, Nepal, South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Links
User Login
Themes
Social
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed
Contact
9A 1/1, Balcombe Place
Colombo 08
Sri Lanka
+94 (0)11 267 1160
+94 (0)11 267 5212
info [at] lirneasia [dot] net
Copyright © 2026 LIRNEasia
a regional ICT policy and regulation think tank active across the Asia Pacific