UfM hosted the first workshop on sharing best practices on e-governance with Algeria

• The workshop is the first in a series of three Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) workshops on e-governance scheduled to be implemented in a selection of southern Mediterranean countries throughout 2021, in partnership with Germany’s Development Agency (GIZ) and the Estonian ICT Cluster.
• The event was opened by the Algerian Delegate to the Prime Minister and Minister in charge of Knowledge Economy and Startups, and the UfM Secretary General underlining just how important the digital transition is for business continuity, as demonstrated by the current pandemic, but also as a vector of sustainable and inclusive economic recovery in the future.
• In the specific case of Algeria, the Government is determined to take on the challenge of digitalisation. Considering that the Algerian population is mostly made up of young people (over 50% are less than 30 years), the potential benefits of a successful digital transition are huge.

Algiers, 22 February 2021 – This week, the UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel and the Algerian Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of Knowledge Economy and Startups, opened a two-day online UfM Workshop on e-governance intended for Algerian participants, organised in collaboration with Germany’s Development Agency and implemented by the Estonian ICT Cluster.

Bringing together around 70 participants from various backgrounds (public institutions, the private sector, civil society and academia) involved in the digital transformation in Algeria, the workshop’s aim was to share best practices and encourage exchanges on topics related to e-governance, such as digital transformation enablers, digital identity, the interoperability of state registers and secure data exchange, digital skills, and digital solutions for favourable business environments.

In his opening remarks, the UfM Secretary General underlined the paramount importance of the digital transition not just for business continuity, as demonstrated by the current pandemic crisis, but also as a vector of sustainable and inclusive economic recovery in the future. He also stressed the need for international cooperation to achieve a digital transformation that leaves no one behind.

This workshop is the first in a series of three UfM workshops on e-governance scheduled for 2021 to be implemented in the participating Mediterranean countries. It follows up on the UfM’s collaboration with GIZ and the Estonian ICT Cluster at the UfM Conference, held in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, on September 30, 2019, on ‘Digital transformation and digital skills for the future’.