Foreword

The fast-paced digital transformation of societies and economies challenges governments’ capacity to design and deliver timely and quality services that adapt to changing expectations and needs of households and businesses. In this context, building a mature digital government is critical to seize the opportunities while manage the risks emerging from the digital transformation in the public sector. The OECD Digital Government Reviews aim to assist governments in their digital journey to increase public sector efficiency and contribute to more equitable, inclusive and participatory societies and economies.

For almost a decade, digital government is a top political priority for governments in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), but levels of development and maturity vary among countries. As governments across the region advance in their digital transition, adopting more ambitious national -and regional – strategies and investing in a range of digital capabilities should be a priority to best use digital technologies and data to achieve a human-centric and coherent transformation of public administrations, and provide better public services.

The Digital Government Review of Latin America and the Caribbean provides a regional assessment and policy recommendations for the LAC region, as a roadmap to improve their digital government maturity, with a focus on five areas:

• Strengthening governance for the digital transformation of the public sector

• Building capabilities, talents and skills in governments

• Developing regional public sector data integration

• Improving the design and delivery of public services in the digital age

• Increasing digital innovation in the public sector

Developed jointly by the OECD and CAF, development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Review builds on the provisions of the OECD Recommendations on Digital Government Strategies, on the Governance of Digital identity and on Enhanced Access to and Sharing of Data, and on the OECD Digital Government Policy Framework. Governments from 14 LAC countries and members of CAF participated in the Review: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

The policy recommendations presented in this Review are based on a rigorous and thorough analysis of existing strategies, policies and initiatives on digital government. They aim to inform government decisions in LAC to develop inclusive and responsive public services in the digital age and contribute to ongoing efforts towards a regional approach to digital government.

This Review is published under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions expressed and the arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of OECD member countries.