Capacity Development Webinar on Leveraging Digital Government & Spearheading Innovative Digital Solutions to Address the COVID-19

Governments across the Caribbean have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to their high economic dependence on travel and tourism, which have virtually collapsed as a result of border closures and restrictions. In the context of already high public debt levels and an even more limited fiscal space following the pandemic, Caribbean governments are endeavoring to strengthen public health interventions while limiting the impact of the crisis on financial and economic activities. Meanwhile, with an above-average forecast for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season looming, Caribbean countries are extremely vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, natural disasters and extreme weather events. The COVID-19 pandemic has created the perfect storm of overlapping health, climate and weather-related crises for many Caribbean SIDS.

Digital government presents vast opportunities for Caribbean SIDS and several Caribbean countries have digital transformation programmes underway. However, although new online tools have become available in the context of the pandemic, most government-to-individual transactions are still carried out in person. Furthermore, the pandemic has increased the digital divide for low income households, persons in remote and rural areas, and marginalized groups, such as persons with disabilities.

The subregion is strengthening its response to the COVID-19 pandemic through a “coordinated approach” to provide a resilient response to the next phase of the virus, including through leveraging digital government to increase access to public services and using technology partnerships to increase access to information and communication technologies (ICTs). Mitigating institutional disruptions while maintaining progress towards the SDGs and ensuring an effective response will require strong governance capacities, innovation, coherent policies, and a “robust digital architecture” to encourage digital transformation.

Building on new political will stimulated by the pandemic, Caribbean countries can also work with international and regional organizations to tackle common challenges to implementing digital technologies in support of the economic recovery of the region. CARICOM’s Single ICT Space Vision, Roadmap and Workplan and the 21st Century Government initiative of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), offer opportunities for achieving resilient, effective systems of egovernment and can also support technology partnerships to address infrastructure gaps and other challenges in the ICT sector.

The objective of the Webinar is to discuss challenges and share lessons learned in the Caribbean on how governments are addressing COVID-19 and what governance capacities are needed to confront the crisis. In particular, the Webinar will address the critical role of digital government in the Caribbean in the post COVID-19 era and how technology partnerships can be mobilized in the subregion in the fight against the pandemic.

File added date: February 2021

Organized by: UN DESA/DPIDG & ECLAC & CARICOM

URL: https://publicadministration.un.org/en/news-and-events/calendar/ModuleID/1146/ItemID/3046/mctl/EventDetails