Digital Agenda ICT Observatory

Partnership
Project

Background

This Initiative is the first cooperation experience between Uruguay and the Dominican Republic in the area of digital transformation. Their collaboration stems from existing technical bilateral relations between the two countries' leading cooperation institutions, in response to the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD) having submitted a request to the Uruguayan Agency for International Cooperation (AUCI) for technical assistance in the area of e-Government.

This request was prioritised as it was in line with Uruguay's good practices, which are internationally renowned and managed by an institution capable of transferring and replicating its experiences. In this regard, it was possible to align the Dominican Republic's request with Uruguay's capacities; in keeping with one of the core principles of South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

The Dominican Republic and the European Union, on the other hand, have a history of cooperation in the area of digital transformation, and more specifically, in the area of cybersecurity. In fact, during the process of implementing its Digital Agenda, the Dominican Republic benefited from projects such as LAC4 and CyberNet, which promoted enhanced education and digital skills among the population through training.

Entities and roles

Beneficiary entities

Ministerio de la Presidencia - Viceministerio de Agenda Digital

Dominican Republic

First provider entities

Agencia de Gobierno Electrónico y Sociedad de la Información y del Conocimiento (AGESIC)

Uruguay

Second provider entities

Ministerio de la Transformación Digital y la Función Publica - Secretaría de Estado de Digitalización e Inteligencia Artificial - Observatorio Nacional de Tecnología y Sociedad (ONTSI)

Spain

Development challenges

The expansion of information and communication technologies has been instrumental in moving towards sustainable development and fostering a more transparent public sector. This phenomenon, which became more widespread as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, enabled the emergence of knowledge societies and accelerated the digital integration of societies.

The Dominican Republic is in the process of reorienting its government policy on this topic. The Digital Agenda 2030 is a long-term strategy and is supported by the Office of Digital Transformation, led by the President of the Republic and coordinated by the Ministry of the Presidency; which is tasked with leading the process of preparing, monitoring, evaluating and updating the new strategy.

With the aim of integrating currently dispersed information that is not always available, the Digital Agenda Observatory offers a point of reference to collect, visualise, monitor and analyse data and knowledge for better decision-making on technological development, as well as its impact on all areas of society.

Coordinate and reinforce data creation, measurement and the use of information and communication technologies, through the establishment of a ‘Digital Transformation Observatory’ in the Dominican Republic.

Triangular approach

With the support of the ONTSI of Spain, the Agency for Electronic Government and the Information and Knowledge Society (AGESIC) of Uruguay is able to transfer its technical expertise and good practices to the Vice-Ministry of Digital Agenda of the Ministry of the Presidency of the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic expressed the need to build an Observatory to measure the country's digital development process, identifying indicators related to technological adaptation and assessing the impact of digital transformation in different sectors. Uruguay and Spain are recognised as Ibero-American leaders in digital development and in the construction of ICT observatories.

Uruguay has developed the Information Society Observatory with the aim of strengthening evidence-based decision-making and planning processes. The monitoring and evaluation of the different digital transformation processes has been prioritised, supporting the timely provision of information and optimising the collection, integration and interoperability of the data produced.

In turn, the Spanish National Observatory of Technology and Society aims to generate valuable knowledge for public policies, as well as business and citizen engagement, on technological development and its impact on the economy, employment, public services, rights, security, quality of life and equality among the population.

Sectoral approach - Contribution to the 2030 Agenda

Primary SDG

Goal 9.B Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities

Goal 9.C Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

Secondary SDG

Goal 16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

Goal 16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements

Goal 16.A Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime

ADELANTE SDG

Goal 10.1 By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average

Goal 17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism

Goal 17.18 By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts

Goal 17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

Territorial approach

Intervention methodology

Specific objectives:

O1. Develop an international and regional framework of best practices to build and operate an ICT observatory, with the aim of measuring and evaluating the results and impact of the public policies established in the field of digital transformation.
O2. Develop a framework for legal, governance, structural and procedural matters for the creation and management of an ICT observatory.
O3. Capacity building among the technical teams for the design, management and continuity of the Observatory.
O4. Implement a measurement framework containing recommendations for measuring progress.

Results:

R1. International and regional good practices document developed.
R2. Legal framework, governance, structure and procedures document developed.
R3. Staff trained in the design, management and continuity of the Observatory.
R4. Indicators and sources of information related to the development of the observatories developed.
R5. Proposal for research studies as a source of information for the Observatory (document with a methodological description of the studies).
R6. A report with recommendations for the future development of the ICT Observatory of Uruguay.

Cooperación Triangular

Download the "Quantitative research report on citizens' knowledge, attitudes and practices around digital government in the Dominican Republic" (Spanish)

Cooperación Triangular

Download the "Report of the ICT module of the National Household Survey" (Spanish)

Download the "International Measurement Best Practice Framework Document" (Spanish)

Direct beneficiaries (individuals)

All persons participating in the activities of the project.

The project activities will involve 10,500 direct beneficiaries, the vast majority of whom belong to the Partnership member entities, as well as public, private and academic institutions in the Dominican Republic.

Budget

EU contribution: 116,628.00 €

Co-financing - Triangular Cooperation Partnership: 45,550.00 €

Total budget: 162,178.00 €

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