Towards a human-centric, sustainable digital tranformation in LAC
Live streaming of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance High-Level Launch Event
The EU-LAC Digital Alliance is the first regional digital partnership between the Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC) and the European Union (EU).
The launch of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance is a key milestone in strengthening the partnership between the two regions, establishing a values-based framework for digital cooperation for a vast ecosystem of stakeholders from the EU and LAC countries.
The high-level event kick-starts a policy dialogue and exchanges among EU-LAC governments at high level, while involving a broad range of digital stakeholders to accompany the discussions. The event will showcase progress in the concrete strands of the work proposed under the Alliance, as well as the initiatives that could underpin this political initiative in the upcoming period.
Watch the High Level Opening Session
From 9 am to 10.15 am Bogotá local time
High-Level opening session
Salón Bolivar, Palacio Presidencial de Colombia
- Mr. Saul Kattan, Digital Transformation Advisor, Republic of Colombia
- H.E. Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for the Digital Age and Competition
- H.E. Camillo Gonsalves, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technology, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on behalf of the Presidency pro Tempore of CELAC (hybrid)
- H.E. Diana Janse, Vice-Minister of International Cooperation and External trade of Sweden on behalf of the Presidency pro Tempore of the EU
- H. Francisco Coy, Vice-Minister of External Relations, Republic of Colombia
- H.E. Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission (video message)
Master of Ceremonies of the Presidency of the Republic of Colombia
Interventions by countries represented in-person (3 minutes per country)
- H.E. Sandra Urrutia, Minister of Information Technologies and Communications (ITC), Republic of Colombia
- H.E. Arturo Luis Luna Tapia, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Republic of Colombia
- H.E. Paula Bogantes, Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications (MICITT), Republic of Costa Rica
- H.E. Daniel Méndez, Minister Secretary of Innovation of the Presidency, Republic of El Salvador
- S.E. Jose Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Spain on behalf of the upcoming Presidency pro Tempore of the EU (video-message)
- H.E. Carme Artigas, Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA), Spain
- H.E. Félix Chang Calvache, Vice-Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Republic of Ecuador
- H.E. Yill Otero, Vice-Minister of Multilateral and International Cooperation, Republic of Panama
- H.E. José Montilla, Vice-Minister for Digital Affairs, Dominican Republic
- Mr. Oscar Rivera, Commissioner at the National Register, Republic of Honduras
- H. Samuel Žbogar, Vice-Minister for Development Cooperation, Republic of Slovenia (video-message)
- H. Mario Campolargo, State Secretary for Digitalisation and Administrative Modernisation, Portuguese Republic (video-message)
Master of Ceremonies of the Presidency of the Republic of Colombia
In presence of the Ambassadors of the LAC and EU countries designated for the occasion.
Closing remarks and photo opportunity
- H.E. Gustavo Petro, President of the Republic of Colombia (tbc)
Master of Ceremonies, Presidency of the Republic of Colombia
Watch the Panel Discussions here
From 12 pm to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm Bogotá local time
Select your preferred language
Panel discussions
ICT Ministry, Bogotá
- H.E: Sandra Urrutia, Minister of Information Technologies and Communications (ITC), Republic of Colombia
- H.E. Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President, European Commission
- H.E. Paula Bogantes, Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications (MICITT), Republic of Costa Rica
- H.E. Daniel Méndez, Secretary of Innovation of the Presidency, Republic of El Salvador
- Ms. Carme Artigas, Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA), Spain
- H.E. Félix Chang Calvache, Vice-Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Republic of Ecuador
- H.E. Yill Otero, Vice-Minister of Multilateral and International Cooperation of Panama
- H.E. José Montilla, Vice-Minister for Digital Affairs, Dominican Republic
- H.E. Marcio G. Sierra Discua, Minister in Public management for Results and Digital, Republic of Honduras (hybrid)
- H.E. Marushka Victoria Lía Chocobar Reyes, Secretary of Govemnent and Digital Transformation, Republic of Peru (hybrid)
- Mr. Marco Llinás, Director of the Division of Production, Productivity and Management, UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
Moderator: Mr. José Ignacio Torreblanca, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)
Session objective: Discuss how better and more harmonized regulation is key to making the best use of data, in the interest of governments, citizens and businesses, and in a way that reflects our common values. Demonstrate that the EU-LAC Digital Alliance actions that address meaningful and secure connectivity to reduce the digital divide and tackle inequalities affect all aspects of sustainable digital development.
Networking lunch
Panellists:
- Mr. Julián Humberto Ferro, Director for innovation and Technological Development, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Republic of Colombia
- Mr. Agustin Rotondo, Managing Director, Wayra Hispam (Telefónica Innovation)
- Ms. Isabela Echeverry, Senior Officer, IDB Lab
- Dr. Damie Sinanan, Caribbean Export, Regional Trade and Investment Promotion Agency
- Ms. Juliana Villalba, CEO & Co-founder, Rebus Tech
- Ms. Alexandra Nothnagel, Global Accessibility & Digital Inclusion Governance, Atos (hybrid)
Moderator: Mr. Sergio Bandinelli, Director, Tecnalia
Session objective: Establish how accelerators, business associations and public institutions can contribute and benefit from the Digital Alliance initiative. Explain the main characteristics of the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator and its operation, showing the benefits for start-ups and innovative SMEs; established businesses and corporations; and investors and financial institutions. Locate and involve relevant stakeholders.
Panellists:
- Mr. Enrique Aliste Almuna, Vice-Rector of Research and Development, University of Chile
- Mr. Rune Floberghagen, Head of the Department of Science, Application and Climate, European Space Agency (ESA)
- Mr. Carlos Kan, Director of the National Authority for Governmental Innovation (AIG), Republic of Panama
- Mr. Emmanuel Pajot, Secretary General of the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC)
- Ms. Rima Le Coguic, Deputy Executive Director in charge of Operations, Expertise France
- Mr. Manuel Dávila Sguerra, Director of Satellite Imagery, Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios (Uniminuto)
Moderator: Mr. Stefano La Terra Bella, European Commission - Directorate General of international Partnerships – F5 (DG INTPA)
Session objective: Explain Earth Observation services and their possible use for the environment, industry, mining, and risk and disaster reduction. Launch the Copernicus Regional Centers in Panama and Chile commenting on their differences and complementarities. Establish links with the BELLA network. Launch the business incubation center and establish links with the Digital accelerator.
Panellists:
- Mr. Rafael Maldonado, Director, Red Nacional Académica de Tecnología Avanzada (RENATA), Republic of Colombia
- Mr. Mauricio Agudelo, Senior Technology, Media and Telecom Specialist at Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)
- Ms. Liina Areng, Regional Program Lead at EUCyberNet, Estonia and LAC4, Dominican Republic
- Mr. Fabián Hernández, President CEO of Telefónica Colombia
- Ms. Elizabeth Peña Jáuregui, Head of Government & Industry Relations, LATAM North, Ericsson
- Mr. José Arias, Head of Government Affairs LATAM North & the Caribbean, Nokia
Moderator: Mr. Luis Eliécer Cadenas, Executive Director of RedCLARA
Session objective: Raise awareness about the impact of digital transformation technologies on economic and social development. Highlight the importance of having a robust connectivity that links the research processing capacities of the EU and LAC, which in turn will help to enhance the scientific and socio-economic impacts of other research infrastructures. Explore collaborations within the Digital Alliance and link the opportunities created by the Alliance with the needs and plans of LAC.
Closure
Team Europe builds a digital bridge to LAC
The Team Europe Initiative "EU-LAC Digital Alliance" seeks to establish a political cooperation framework for digital engagement between the two continents. The goal is to reduce the digital divide and build sustainable, equal, inclusive and cohesive digital societies.
The Team Europe Proposal:
- Regulatory and policy cooperation
- Extension of connectivity infrastructures
- Innovation and private sector cooperation
- Digitally-enabled products and e-services (BELLA, Horizon 2020)
Road to 2023: D4D Hub in Action for EU-LAC Digital Cooperation. 2nd High-level event of the Digital for Development (D4D) Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean, December 12th 2022.
On December 12th 2022, Slovenia, Spain, the European Commission and the D4D Hub Secretariat co-organized the event “Road to 2023: D4D Hub in Action for EU-LAC Digital Cooperation” that took place in a hybrid format, at the Slovenian Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels and online. We were delighted to welcome more than 100 participants in person, and over 200 online connecting from more than 40 countries.
The event succeeded in discussing expectations, priorities and possible deliverables for the future digital agenda within the EU-LAC partnership and enabling dialogue between EU and LAC partners. We were able to gather very relevant ideas and proposals coming out of the two roundtable discussions that brought together a variety of stakeholders. These inputs will feed into the work ahead in preparing the EU-LAC Summit scheduled for July 2023.
If you missed the event, you can watch the video below. You can also consult the thank you and wrap up notes attached.
Watch our hybrid event "Road to 2023: D4D Hub in Action for EU-LAC Digital Cooperation" below:
Click here to watch the event's roundtable on "Shaping an EU-LAC approach to human-centred and inclusive digitalisation: the role of emerging technologies"