The Association for the Development of Electronic Communications and Innovative Technologies (ACETI), represented by President Ion Bodrug, participated in the public discussion with the theme: ‘Promoting Digital Transformation at the Local Level: Initiatives for Local Public Administration and the Business Environment,’ held on February 13, 2024, in Cahul.
The regional public event brought together representatives of public authorities, the business environment, and development partners and was organized by the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), in collaboration with GIZ Moldova, the Electronic Governance Agency (AGE), and the Innovation Center ‘Inotek’ in Cahul.
The event’s agenda included discussions on the role of local public authorities in the digital transformation process, digital solutions and platforms developed by local authorities, the use of digital solutions by the business environment, and funding opportunities for entrepreneurs.
Throughout the activity, discussions focused on the role of local public authorities in the digital transformation process, with an emphasis on the E-APL platform, CUPS (Unified Customer Service Centers), and their importance in facilitating the provision of digital services at the local level. Examples of digital solutions and platforms developed by local authorities were discussed, along with local digital transformation projects supported by development partners. The use of digital solutions by the business environment and their significance for business development, including funding opportunities for entrepreneurs, were also addressed.
Ion Bodrug, President of ACETI, spoke about the experience and achievements of ACETI and DIH of Moldova in the field of digital transformation, providing concrete examples of productive collaborations with institutions and companies.
ACETI’s President emphasized the importance, in the digital transformation process, of components such as digital literacy and cyber hygiene to ensure the protection of all virtual tools. He proposed initiating a national project, a data center for SMEs, to centralize all necessary data for these entities.
“A lot of data is gathered there. If we want to digitize and reach 2030, as outlined in the National Digital Transformation Strategy 2023-2030, we need a physical infrastructure that would store all this data,” pointed out Ion Bodrug.
Another proposal was related to streamlining the relationship between banking institutions and clients and eliminating excessive bureaucracy, which persists even in the presence of digital tools designed to reduce it.
“A bit of intelligent pressure from all actors will change the situation for the benefit of citizens and economic agents. I understand that sooner or later this will happen in the dialogue between the state and financial institutions to streamline both human resources and time, which is the most precious,” said the President of ACETI.
The public discussions were organized in the context of the objectives set in the Public Administration Reform Strategy 2023-2030, as well as the Digital Transformation Strategy 2024-2030, aiming to increase the number of digital public services provided by local authorities and the accessibility of these services by beneficiaries.
According to the organizers, this event represented a significant step in promoting local digital transformation and strengthening collaboration between public authorities, the business environment, and development partners in this crucial area for the European future of the Republic of Moldova.
