KRG Department of Information Technology Delegation Visits Cisco Experience Center in the UAE
KRG DIT–Cisco Meeting in Dubai
Dubai, UAE – April 2025
A high-level delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Department of Information Technology (DIT) visited the Cisco Experience Center in Dubai following an official invitation from Cisco to further strengthen the ongoing collaboration between the two entities.
A high-level delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Department of Information Technology (DIT) visited the Cisco Experience Center in Dubai following an official invitation from Cisco to further strengthen the ongoing collaboration between the two entities.
During a two-day visit filled with in-depth meetings and presentations, a delegation from the KRG Department of Information Technology (DIT), including Head of Department Hiwa Afandi and Chief Technology Officer Azad Ismail, met with Cisco's top executives and technical specialists. The discussions focused on state-of-the-art technologies and crucial strategies for contemporary digital governance.
The event commenced with a welcome session featuring remarks by Osama Zakaria Eissa, Director & GM – Emerging Gulf & Levant, followed by an overview of the Cisco Experience Center by Rabih Saad, Leader – Solution Engineering. Keynote addresses and presentations were delivered by distinguished Cisco executives, including Abdelilah Nejjari, Managing Director – Gulf, and others, covering critical topics such as government collaboration, future skills development through the Cisco Networking Academy, cybersecurity strategies for national security operations centers (SOC), leveraging Splunk solutions for government insights, and the role of AI in public sector transformation.
Highlights of the Visit
Cisco leadership expressed considerable admiration for the expertise and skill of the DIT technical staff.A key part of the discussions focused on Cisco's incorporation of AI within its infrastructure and services to aid governmental functions internationally, and potential applications for the Kurdistan Region. Given Cisco's global standing as a reliable provider of solutions for government bodies, cybersecurity best practices were also a central topic.
Cisco leadership expressed considerable admiration for the expertise and skill of the DIT technical staff.A key part of the discussions focused on Cisco's incorporation of AI within its infrastructure and services to aid governmental functions internationally, and potential applications for the Kurdistan Region. Given Cisco's global standing as a reliable provider of solutions for government bodies, cybersecurity best practices were also a central topic.
The visit to Cisco's Experience Center in Dubai highlighted the strong and strategic partnership between the KRG Department of Information Technology (DIT) leadership and Cisco's senior management, building upon DIT's ongoing collaboration with Cisco partners in the region. Cisco reaffirmed its commitment to:
- Delivering capacity-building programs and specialized training for DIT personnel.
- Providing direct technical assistance, recognizing the DIT teams' outstanding work and input.
Vision for the Future
As DIT continues to lead the digital transformation journey in Kurdistan, its vision is clear: to position the Kurdistan Regional Government as a GovTech powerhouse, ranking among the top digital governments across the Middle East and Gulf region. Cisco remains an essential partner in achieving this ambitious goal, supporting DIT’s initiatives to build a secure, AI-driven, and citizen-centric digital government.
Reflecting on the visit, in a post on X platform, Hiwa Afandi, Head of the Department of Information Technology, stated:
"Cisco continues to be a cornerstone in our digital infrastructure journey. We met with senior directors in the UAE to explore AI-powered observability, predictive cybersecurity, and future tech trends. A visionary partner in shaping tomorrow’s governance."
This visit marks another significant milestone in the enduring partnership between DIT and Cisco, paving the way for a future where Kurdistan's digital government initiatives set new benchmarks for innovation and excellence.
