Development partners for accelerating digital transformation in Moldova will help elaborate a roadmap for the subsequent development of the digital agenda of our country for the next 7-10 years.
The press service of the government reported this, noting that Aureliu Ciocoi, the Acting Prime Minister of Moldova, and Dima Al-Khatib, UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova, launched and led today the Dialogue of partners for accelerating digital transformation in Moldova. The discussion was also attended by representatives of many government agencies and international partners, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union and others. Prime Minister noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown a high level of importance of digital accessibility around the world. In response to new challenges, digital transformation remains a top priority. “Moldova is a country that has everything necessary for a fast and effective digital transformation,” said Aureliu Ciocoi, noting the progress achieved in the digitization of public services and the development of e-government platforms, as well as the contribution of the ICT sector to more than 7% of GDP and Internet coverage of about 98% of the country's settlements. According to the Acting Prime Minister, given that the Digital Agenda for Moldova 2020 was recently completed, there is an urgent need for a vision of digital transformation to move forward in this area. As such, the partnership dialogue is an important venue for high-level discussion and coordination between government and donors on an inclusive and sustainable digital transformation. “We appreciate the support of development partners in various areas of Moldova’s digital transformation: the support of the Electronic Government Agency, increasing the competitiveness of the ICT sector in Moldova, improving the education system and digital literacy, which makes Moldova follow digitalization,” stressed Aureliu Ciocoi. The discussions on this platform will help to synchronize agendas and efforts, identify areas for intervention, and build capacity over the next few months to prepare for a new strategy for digital transformation of society as a whole, he said. Currently, a roadmap for the digital economy, an agenda for the transformation of digital governance and a policy framework for digitalization of education are being prepared. “In this regard, we need more active efforts and support from our partners. The government remains committed to supporting policy dialogue and will use this important format to develop a common vision for the development of a prosperous digital Moldova,” the head of government continued, adding that the accelerated digitalization of the entire society will create new business models and opportunities for progress in various areas. During the first meeting, the UNDP assessment of the availability of digital technologies in the country was presented. The document provides an overview of the possibilities and capabilities of Moldova to accelerate digital transformation. “UNDP is ready to support the government in developing a comprehensive vision of digital transformation, as well as to further contribute to building local potential for digital development,” said, in turn, UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova Dima Al-Khatib. At the end of the meeting, the head of government asked all relevant institutions: government agencies, the business community, specialized associations, as well as academia to share their knowledge of best practices in digital transformation. At the same time, it is necessary to consolidate all current projects in a single strategic document to form a common approach. The Cabinet needs to identify a lead agency with the necessary skills to develop digital policies and coordinate activities to promote digital innovation at the national level. The participants in the dialogue agreed to develop a roadmap that will establish the necessary preparatory stage for the development of Moldova's digital agenda for the next 7-10 years. // 07.07.2021 – InfoMarket
