Majid Hakim Kadhim Alabs: Russian Urban Solutions Could Benefit Iraq
The deputy chairman of the Najaf Provincial Council spoke about Russian solutions in urban management, education and infrastructure that could be applied in his region.
Delegations from more than 100 countries have gathered for the 2nd Global Digital Forum (GDF), which opened today at the Mechta venue in Moscow’s Gorky Park. The forum is addressing digital sovereignty, international cooperation in technology and practical mechanisms for joint IT projects.
The day before, foreign guests visited VDNKh. After the tour, Majid Hakim Kadhim Alabs, deputy chairman of the Najaf Provincial Council, spoke to an IT Russia correspondent about Russian digital solutions that caught his attention as potential tools for developing urban infrastructure:
– First of all, I would like to highlight several things that made a strong impression on me. The first is traffic management and the way traffic lights operate. We were shown how these processes are displayed on an interactive map. A system like this would be very useful to us in improving traffic flow in the city.
The second important area is education. We saw the MESh (Moscow Electronic School) application and how it brings together different technologies that allow parents to monitor the educational process and interact with schools. The system includes both students and parents. The use of artificial intelligence can also save a great deal of time.
Another area is urban infrastructure. We liked the solutions for organizing roads, parking facilities and bus stops, as well as improving access to shopping centers and other facilities that can be reached within 10 to 15 minutes.
Economic cooperation between Russia and Iraq is already developing. We represent an economic commission that came here to study various areas of cooperation, including in the oil sector. We are also interested in opportunities for cooperation through technology and economic platforms. We intend to continue this work and share the experience we have gained with our country.
Of the Russian solutions, I particularly liked the integrated approach to urban infrastructure, where roads, commercial facilities and transportation are brought together into a single system. This allows people to access the services they need without long journeys. We have already begun introducing similar solutions in Iraq and are continuing this work. Russia’s achievements can help us take this area further.
There are also differences in approaches to urban development. Until recently, we mainly expanded our cities horizontally. In Moscow, we saw many high-rise buildings and a vertical model of development. It makes more efficient use of land, allows more people to live within a limited area and makes more rational use of urban space. This experience could also be useful to us.
