Zain Iraq Supports Iraqi Delegation’s Participation in the World Summit Awards (WSA) 2025, Reinforcing Its Commitment to Advancing National Innovation

In line with its leading role in driving innovation and digital transformation in Iraq, Zain Iraq proudly announced its full support for the Iraqi delegation’s participation in the World Summit Awards (WSA) 2025, held this year in Hyderabad, India, under the auspices of the United Nations from April 6 to 9, 2025.

This initiative falls under the umbrella of Zain Youth (ZY), the company’s flagship program dedicated to empowering young people. Through this support, Zain Iraq aims to enable Iraqi entrepreneurs and innovators to showcase their ideas on a global stage, engage with international experts, and draw from successful experiences to develop their projects further. The company’s goal is to foster a vibrant digital innovation ecosystem in Iraq by creating opportunities for exposure to global innovation networks, nurturing critical thinking, leadership, communication skills, and turning challenges into real opportunities for growth.

The WSA is recognized as one of the world’s premier platforms that honors digital innovations with meaningful societal impact. It brings together a distinguished community of developers, innovators, entrepreneurs, regulators, and investors from over 180 UN member countries, making it a unique forum for knowledge exchange, partnership building, and promotion of impactful digital solutions.

The Iraqi delegation included a diverse group of young entrepreneurs, representatives from entrepreneurship support organizations, two national experts, and a representative from the Communications and Media Commission (CMC). Their participation aimed to spotlight Iraq’s local efforts in supporting digital innovation and to strengthen the country’s presence on the global digital economy map.

Following the delegation’s return, Mr. Emre Gurkan, CEO of Zain Iraq, welcomed the participants at Zain’s headquarters and expressed his pride in their outstanding representation of Iraq and its ambitious youth. He stated: “At Zain Iraq, we believe the foundation of a digital future begins with supporting young minds and empowering them to reach global platforms. Our support for this delegation was not merely sponsorship but a message of belief in Iraq’s potential to shine on international stages.”

He added: “It was crucial for our innovators to experience global innovation environments and exchange ideas with their peers worldwide. The participation of a representative from Iraq’s regulatory authority also provided a valuable opportunity to observe international policy frameworks that support innovation, insights we hope will positively impact the local digital ecosystem.”

The members of the Iraqi delegation expressed their deep appreciation to Zain Iraq for the support that enabled them to proudly represent Iraq, pitch their projects, and establish professional relationships with global investors and government institutions.

This initiative reflects Zain Iraq’s steadfast commitment to playing an active role in shaping an advanced and inclusive digital environment in Iraq. This is done by supporting entrepreneurship, fostering partnerships with international platforms, and empowering Iraqi youth as essential partners in national digital development.