Multi-stakeholder discussions at the Regional Forum on Digital Transformation

The Regional Forum on Digital Transformation aimed to connect different actors of the digital and innovative realm, to exchange experiences and best practices and to highlight the value of digital transformation for society and the environment in the region.

The hybrid event was inaugurated on 24 May by the Mexican Minister of Economy, Raquel Buenrostro, alongside other high-ranking participants from the EU, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Economic Commission for Latin America (CEPAL), SAP and Siemens.

The Secretariat for the Mexican-German Digital Dialogue, ECONOMIA and SICT jointly coordinated two exchange sessions on digital government and smart urban mobility.

First panel: Data-driven solutions within the government

The first panel discussion on 24 May revolved around data-driven solutions, data use within the government and interoperability. Participants from the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) as well as the BMZ, Mexican ministries, businesses and civil society took part in a lively exchange.

The aim was to discuss data-driven solutions for enhancing public policy outcomes.

The ministries of both countries shared their experiences of digital government processes. They highlighted the relevance of data for sustainable policy development and decision-making. Participants agreed on the importance of bringing the public and private sector together in order to develop better solutions, to ensure a secure but non-restrictive legal framework and to keep interoperability in mind.

Second panel: Smart urban mobility

The second panel on 25 May focused on the impact of technological change on smart urban mobility. Representatives from SICT, BMDV, academia, business and civil society of both, Mexico and Germany, shared their perspectives on the topic.

The panellists underlined the necessity of digital transformation and especially the use of open data to continuously improve urban mobility. It also showed how important multisectoral collaboration is to enable smart urban mobility.

Embracing data-driven strategies

The two discussion rounds offered valuable insights – such as the importance of adopting best practices in data use for policy making. These takeaways highlight the need for policymakers, but also organisations in general, to embrace data-driven approaches and to incorporate digital strategies into their decision-making processes.

The Mexican-German Digital Dialogue will continue to provide a platform for the exchange on common challenges and framework conditions for the digital economy.