INA- Baghdad
Iraq’s Minister of Communications, Mustafa Sand, announced on Thursday that Iraq has, for the first time, been nominated for membership in the Council of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). He also revealed that Iraq has secured reciprocal voting agreements with nearly 90 countries in support of its candidacy, while reaffirming the country’s position that artificial intelligence should be used for development rather than warfare.
Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Sand said the Iraqi delegation participated in a series of international telecommunications conferences in Geneva attended by communications ministers and representatives of relevant international organizations, including a conference dedicated to artificial intelligence.
He said Iraq reaffirmed its stance during the conference by warning against the use of artificial intelligence in wars, defense ministries, and the killing of human beings, stressing that humanity “must not become captive to this intelligent machine.”
Sand emphasized the importance of employing AI in development, agriculture, healthcare, family welfare, and child development in ways that benefit society.
He also noted that the Iraqi delegation took part in other international events, including the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026, where Iraq was nominated for membership in the International Telecommunication Union Council. He explained that, if elected, it would mark the first time Iraq has secured a seat on the council.
Sand concluded by stating that Iraq had reached reciprocal voting agreements with approximately 90 countries to support its candidacy.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Communications and Media Commission (CMC), Blasim Salem, told INA that a CMC delegation participated in the global conference in Geneva, where it was received by Iraq’s ambassador stationed there.
Salem said the Iraqi delegation attended numerous workshops and conferences focused on artificial intelligence and information technology, and held meetings with communications ministers from various countries. The discussions resulted in agreements on joint workshops and telecommunications sector development initiatives aimed at advancing Iraq’s digital transformation.
He affirmed Iraq’s commitment to continuing cooperation with neighboring countries and technologically advanced nations in the fields of information and communications technology.
For his part, Iraq’s Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Siwan Barzani, told INA that the participation of a high-level Iraqi delegation from the Communications and Media Commission and the Ministry of Communications, led by the minister, in both the World Summit on the Information Society and the AI for Good Global Summit represents an important step in strengthening Iraq’s presence in international forums.
Barzani said the summit is a major global event covering telecommunications, information technology, and AI governance, attended by the UN Secretary-General and held under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union.
He stressed that Iraq’s participation offers a valuable opportunity to deepen international cooperation in these sectors and amplify the country’s voice within the global community.
The Global Dialogue on AI Governance opened on Monday at the headquarters of the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva, Switzerland, with the participation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock, and ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, alongside heads of state, ministers, and senior officials responsible for communications and digital transformation.
The dialogue is being held alongside the WSIS Forum 2026 and the AI for Good Global Summit, both hosted in Geneva through July 10, bringing together government representatives, private sector leaders, international organizations, and academic institutions.
