Leaders TalkX: Click to govern: inclusive and efficient e-services

Summary

This panel discussion focused on achieving inclusive and sustainable digital transformation twenty years after the World Summit on the Information Society, examining how governments can ensure universal connectivity and effective e-governance. The session featured representatives from Costa Rica, Kuwait, Colombia, Uruguay, and a global AI ethics expert discussing their countries’ approaches to digital inclusion and the challenges they face.

Costa Rica’s Vice Minister highlighted their journey from 10% to 85% internet connectivity, emphasizing investments in rural and indigenous communities while acknowledging ongoing challenges with 29% of indigenous populations still lacking coverage. Kuwait’s representative showcased their citizen-centered approach through the Sahm application, which serves 2.8 million users and processes over 100 million transactions, demonstrating how co-creation with citizens can drive successful digital services. Colombia’s regulatory expert emphasized the importance of having a comprehensive national digital strategy with eight pillars, including connectivity, AI, and digital security, while implementing flexible regulatory frameworks that support community operators serving fewer than 5,000 users.

Uruguay’s representative drew a crucial distinction between digital inclusion and equity, noting that while 96-98% of citizens have internet access through nationwide fiber optic coverage, only 64% actively use e-government services. This highlighted the challenge of moving beyond mere connectivity to actual digital literacy and meaningful usage. The AI ethics expert from EY emphasized the need for robust assessment frameworks and transparent governance systems, noting that citizen confidence in government AI use remains low across 15 surveyed countries. The discussion concluded that successful digital transformation requires not just infrastructure investment but also comprehensive strategies addressing digital literacy, inclusive design, and transparent governance frameworks to ensure no citizen is left behind in the digital age.

Keypoints

**Major Discussion Points:**

– **Digital Infrastructure and Universal Connectivity**: Countries shared their progress and challenges in achieving universal internet access, with Costa Rica highlighting their journey from 10% to 85% connectivity, while still facing gaps in indigenous communities and low-income populations. The focus was on balancing public and private investment to reach underserved areas.

– **Inclusive and User-Centric Digital Services**: Kuwait presented their approach to designing government digital services that serve all citizens, emphasizing their “Sahm” platform that processes millions of transactions monthly. The discussion centered on making e-government services accessible across different demographics, languages, and digital literacy levels.

– **Regulatory Frameworks for Rural and Community Connectivity**: Colombia outlined their multi-stakeholder national digital strategy with eight pillars, highlighting special regulatory measures for community operators serving fewer than 5,000 users in rural areas, including reduced regulatory burdens and differentiated technical requirements.

– **Digital Inclusion vs. Digital Equity**: Uruguay distinguished between having access to digital infrastructure (inclusion) and actually using digital services effectively (equity), noting that while 96-98% have connectivity, only 60-64% actively use e-government services, emphasizing the need for digital literacy beyond just infrastructure.

– **AI Governance and Assessment in Government**: The discussion addressed the challenges governments face in implementing AI and digital technologies responsibly, with emphasis on the need for transparent assessment frameworks, third-party evaluations, and clear communication to build citizen trust in government AI systems.

**Overall Purpose:**

This panel discussion aimed to evaluate progress made 20 years after the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), examining how different countries are addressing digital transformation challenges while ensuring inclusive, equitable, and people-centered digital governance. The session focused on sharing best practices and identifying ongoing challenges in achieving universal digital access and effective e-government services.

**Overall Tone:**

The discussion maintained a collaborative and constructive tone throughout, with panelists sharing both successes and ongoing challenges in a solution-oriented manner. The atmosphere was professional yet optimistic, with speakers building upon each other’s insights rather than debating. The tone remained consistently forward-looking, emphasizing shared learning and international cooperation, culminating in a collegial photo session that reinforced the collaborative spirit of the discussion.

Speakers

– **Yuhan Zheng**: Moderator/Host of the panel discussion

– **Hubert Vargas Picado**: Vice Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications from Costa Rica

– **Laial Almansoury**: Chief of the Infrastructure, Operations, Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority, Minister of Communication Affairs at Kuwait

– **Claudia Ximena Bustamante Osorio**: Executive Director of the Commissioners of the CRC (Communications Regulation Commission) in Colombia

– **Daniel Mordecki**: Executive Director of AGESIC (Government Information Society and Knowledge Agency), Uruguay

– **Ansgar Koene**: Global AI Ethics and Regulatory Leader at EY

Additional speakers:

None identified beyond the provided speakers names list.

# Report: Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Digital Transformation – Twenty Years After WSIS

## Executive Summary

This panel discussion, moderated by Yuhan Zheng, brought together government representatives from Costa Rica, Kuwait, Colombia, and Uruguay, alongside a global AI ethics expert, to examine progress in digital transformation twenty years after the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The session focused on how governments can ensure universal connectivity and effective e-governance while addressing ongoing challenges of digital inclusion and equity.

The discussion highlighted both significant progress in digital infrastructure and persistent challenges in ensuring meaningful digital participation. Speakers shared their countries’ approaches to digital transformation, revealing common themes around citizen-centered design, regulatory innovation, and the need for targeted approaches to reach underserved communities.

## Key Participants and Their Contributions

### Costa Rica’s Investment in Digital Skills

Hubert Vargas Picado, Vice Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications, explained Costa Rica’s unique strategic approach: “As a small country with no commodities like oil or minerals, we decided that the business of military deterrence was not ours 80 years ago. So, because of that, we abolished our army, and that has allowed us to invest a lot in education and more recently in digital skills, because we believe that our oil, specifically our talent.”

This strategic choice has enabled Costa Rica to advance from 10% to 85% internet connectivity and achieve 99% mobile coverage through public investment. However, significant challenges remain: 29% of indigenous communities are still uncovered and 42% of below-poverty populations cannot afford connectivity. Costa Rica has implemented a 5G tender that subsidizes spectrum costs by up to 90% while requiring operators to expand infrastructure to the 134 most unconnected districts.

### Kuwait’s Citizen-Centered Digital Services

Laial Almansoury, Chief of Infrastructure Operations at Kuwait’s Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority, emphasized Kuwait’s citizen-centered approach to digital transformation. She noted that “the most impactful digital solutions are built with the citizen, not merely for them,” highlighting the importance of co-creation in service design.

This philosophy has been implemented through Kuwait’s Sahm platform, which serves 2.8 million users and processes over 100 million transactions, offering more than 450 services from 40 government agencies. Kuwait has also launched initiatives like the “Born’s Journey” providing integrated digital services throughout a citizen’s lifecycle, and the Sahel business platform launched in 2022.

### Colombia’s Multi-Pillar Strategy and Regulatory Innovation

Claudia Ximena Bustamante Osorio, Executive Director of the Commissioners of Colombia’s Communications Regulation Commission, outlined Colombia’s national digital strategy built on eight pillars including connectivity, AI, digital transformation, capacity building, and digital security. The country emphasizes collaborative regulation and multi-stakeholder approaches.

Colombia has implemented innovative regulatory frameworks, including special measures for community operators serving fewer than 5,000 users in rural areas. These operators benefit from differentiated regulatory requirements designed to support digital inclusion in underserved communities. The country also employs regulatory sandboxes to foster innovation while maintaining appropriate oversight.

### Uruguay’s Digital Inclusion vs. Digital Equity Challenge

Daniel Mordecki, Executive Director of Uruguay’s Government Information Society and Knowledge Agency (AGESIC), presented a critical distinction between digital inclusion and digital equity. Despite Uruguay’s achievement of 96-98% digital inclusion through nationwide fiber optic coverage and zero-cost basic internet access, only 60-64% of citizens actively use e-government services.

Mordecki observed: “The problem is equity and equality of access when you look at index of usage of public administration and e-government services, those numbers reach about 60-ish, 64%. So between 30 and 35 people do have the devices, do have the access, do have the connection. They use it every day, but they don’t significantly use it in order to access e-services… That is not resolved with money nor infrastructure. We need to change their chip, their way they think.”

He illustrated this with examples of citizens who use smartphones for entertainment and GPS services but don’t utilize government digital services, highlighting that technical access doesn’t guarantee meaningful participation.

### Global AI Ethics and Citizen Trust

Ansgar Koene, Global AI Ethics and Regulatory Leader at EY, shared findings from research across 15 countries showing consistently low citizen confidence in government AI use. He emphasized the need for robust assessment frameworks and third-party evaluations for AI implementation in government services.

Koene stressed that “clear standards and well-communicated frameworks are essential for AI assessment in government services, with proper risk management and quality assurance systems to ensure technology works for all citizens.” He also highlighted the importance of making AI systems comprehensible to citizens, not just transparent.

## Common Themes Discussed

### Infrastructure as Foundation, Not Complete Solution

Multiple speakers acknowledged that while infrastructure investment is fundamental, it alone is insufficient for meaningful digital participation. Uruguay’s experience particularly illustrated this point, showing that high connectivity rates don’t automatically translate to high usage of digital services.

### Citizen-Centered Approaches

Both Kuwait and other speakers emphasized the importance of designing digital services with citizens rather than simply for them. This involves understanding citizen needs and involving them in the design process of digital services.

### Targeted Approaches for Underserved Communities

Costa Rica and Colombia both demonstrated the need for special measures to reach underserved populations. Costa Rica’s focus on indigenous communities and below-poverty groups, combined with Colombia’s differentiated regulatory measures for rural community operators, showed recognition that universal approaches may not address specific barriers faced by different communities.

## Challenges Identified

### Reaching Marginalized Populations

Despite progress, all countries continue to face challenges in reaching their most marginalized populations, whether due to geographic isolation, economic barriers, or other factors.

### Moving Beyond Access to Usage

Uruguay’s experience highlighted the challenge of ensuring that digital access translates into meaningful usage of government services. This involves addressing not just technical barriers but also behavioral and cultural factors.

### Building Trust in Government AI

The research presented by Koene revealed a significant trust gap between government AI implementation and citizen acceptance, suggesting the need for better communication and governance frameworks around AI use in public services.

## Conclusion

Twenty years after WSIS, this discussion revealed both significant achievements and ongoing challenges in digital transformation. While countries have made substantial progress in expanding digital infrastructure and services, ensuring meaningful digital participation for all citizens remains a complex challenge requiring approaches that go beyond technical solutions.

The distinction between digital inclusion and digital equity emerged as a key insight, while the emphasis on citizen-centered design and regulatory innovation provided examples of how governments are adapting their approaches to address these challenges. The session concluded with a photo opportunity, reflecting the collaborative spirit of international cooperation in addressing digital transformation challenges.

Yuhan Zheng: Thank you so much for giving the floor. And now, first, let’s welcome all the distinguished panellists on stage. Yuran? Great. So, we have all the speakers here with us today. And so, Excellency and distinguished delegates and all the digital innovators, 20 years ago, after the WSIS first invention of a people-centred digital future, we stand at an inflection point. The promise of click to governance is more than just connectivity. It requires design to transform the e-services that energise the equity. And also, today, we confront more issues linked with sustainability, AI, and a lot of geopolitical tensions. So, now, our leaders across the world gather here to solve this question together with us together. So, now, we have Excellency Vargas Picado, the Vice Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications from Costa Rica. And welcome. And then, we have Ms Laial Almansoury, the Chief of the Infrastructure, Operations, Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority, the Minister of Communication Affairs at Kuwait. And now, we have from Colombia, Dr Bustamante Osorio, the Executive Directors of the Commissioners of the CRC in Colombia. And also, we have, you will agree, Mr Mordecki, the Executive Directors of AGESIC, the Government Information Society and Knowledge Agency. And also, we have from EY, Dr Koene, the Global EIS and Regulatory Leaders. So, welcome, all. Now, we would like to begin this session by starting with the question to Costa Rica. So, 20 years ago, the World Summit on the Information Society defined a set of action lines aimed at guiding international cooperation towards a more inclusive, equitable, and people-centered information society. In this context, and two decades later, what are the key challenges that Costa Rica still faces in ensuring the minimal and truly universal connectivity? Additionally, how has the country succeeded in striking a balance between public and private investment in the development of the digital infrastructure over the course of the process? Now, you have the floor.

Hubert Vargas Picado: Good morning, everybody. Costa Rica was particularly guided 20 years ago by the C2 action line. We have invested a lot in terms of infrastructure, not only in urban areas, that is quite natural because of market reasons, but investing specifically in indigenous populations, indigenous communities, and the rural areas. Because of geography, besides our small size, we have a lot of communities that are quite remote. As a small country with no commodities like oil or minerals, we decided that the business of military deterrence was not ours 80 years ago. So, because of that, we abolished our army, and that has allowed us to invest a lot in education and more recently in digital skills, because we believe that our oil, specifically our talent. So, guided by that approach, we have guided our policy, even like a state policy, to increase connectivity. To increase from 20 years ago, we had only 10% of our population connected to the internet. We currently have 85%. And in terms of mobile internet, we actually cover 99% of the population. And besides that good news, the challenges remain specifically in the 29% of indigenous communities that we actually don’t cover recently, and 42% of our below-poverty line that it is quite hard for them to actually pay for connectivity. So, we designed 5G tender recently that is specifically focused on increasing industrial use cases, but we subsidize the cost of the spectrum up to 90%, and we obligated the operators to increase one-third of the current infrastructure in the 134 most unconnected districts in our country, focusing on 5G with great downlink and uplink requirements in those communities that currently they basically only have 3G, or even not 3G at all. So, our focus is continuing developing skills, but also reaching the communities that, besides our recent investment, we are lacking to cover in the last two years. And because of that, we will have a change in two, four and six years, really good plan, and I’m excited to update this in at least two years.

Yuhan Zheng: Thank you so much for this very informative keynote, and also you mentioned one of the most important elements, indigenous, is also important in every realm, including AI, sustainability, and a lot. And also one more thing is that how you create the empowering environment for the young people, for the future generation, to really have the last, to reach the last mile. So now, my next questions would like to go to Kuwait. So, Ms Almansoury, how can governments ensure that the design and delivery of the digital public service are both inclusive and user-centric, especially in rapidly evolving digital ecosystem like your country?

Laial Almansoury: Thank you. Good morning, everyone. It’s an honor, first, to address this respected forum of the state of Kuwait. To answer this question on how to ensure that digital public services are both inclusive and user-centric, it’s not merely a technical one, it reflects our shared commitment to building fair and resilient societies for the future. In Kuwait, our digital transformation is guided by a clear and consistent principle, technology, that must serve everyone. We consider the delivery of inclusive and efficient e-service not only a matter of convenience, but a social responsibility, and a cornerstone of our International Development Agenda as set forth in Kuwait 2035. So to realize the vision, inclusivity is not an afterthought, it is a fundamental design. Our approach is rooted in a citizen-centered technology and methodology. We actively engage with our citizens to co-create the services they need. We believe the most impactful digital solutions are built with the citizen, not merely for them. So this means ensuring the accessibility for elderly and disabilities, supporting multiple languages and designing interfaces that are user-friendly across all level of digital proficiency. A prime example of this approach is our unified government application called Sahm, which launched in 2021 with 13 government entities offering around 123 services. Sahm has evolved into a thriving digital ecosystem. Today it serves over 2.8 million users, has processed more than 100 million transactions and provides over 450 services from 40 government agencies with an average of 4.5 million transactions per month. We continue to improve users’ experience. One example is the new Born’s Journey, the first integrated digital service that combines seven government procedures into one seamless process. Supporting Kuwait’s dynamic economy, we launched the Sahel business in 2022. So the platform, that’s why the platform as the WSIS are invaluable for us. They allow us to exchange insights, learn from international best practices and collaborate on shaping a global digital future. So thank you everyone.

Yuhan Zheng: Thank you so much, it’s very useful and to know the Sahel, it’s good to know that because currently the e-government, of course it’s a trend, but how to make sure that the user’s experience is also good, I think it’s a matter to all, we’re standing here across the different regions. So now I would like to dive deep a little bit further, not only the citizen but also the rural community. So the next questions will go to Columbia, so what do you consider to be the most relevant regulatory and cooperation element to accelerate inclusive and sustainable digitalization, exposing connectivity gaps in rural areas, leveraging those digital services and also improving the relationship between the government and citizens? Thank you.

Claudia Ximena Bustamante Osorio: Thank you, it’s an honor to be here. I will emphasize two main points. One is to have a national digital strategy, because this is a work for many different entities and it’s a multi-stakeholder approach. Our digital strategy in Columbia has eight pillars, connectivity, data analytics and interoperability, trust and digital security, capacity building, AI and emerging technologies, public sector digital transformation, digital economy or business development, and digital society. With these pillars in mind, all the different entities work to have the goals reached to close the connectivity gap and, of course, increase the digital services. When we talk about regulation, that is the second point, the CRC promotes a flexible, prospective and inclusive approach. We apply state-of-the-art methodologies and regulatory tools to have all the knowledge and the perspective for the evolving ecosystems. For instance, we use regulatory sandboxes, collaborative regulation and promote the digital emerging technologies. Our frameworks are people-centric and we have promoted, for instance, the digitalization of the user protection regime and developed an open data policy to support evidence-based decision making and foster research and innovation within the ICT sector. Also our regulatory framework has differentiated measures with focus in the rural areas and they are less connected because we know they have different economic and societal conditions than the rest of the country. For that reason, we try to reduce the burden for community operators and coordinate our work with the ICT ministry and the spectrum agency to have different technical and process specifications for them in order to help them to thrive. The community providers in Colombia are defined as those who have less than 5,000 users. For that reason, they need support. I think it’s very important also to have the multilateral and international cooperation in mind because these communities and, of course, the government agencies also need more capacity building and more technological tools to improve the kind of situations that they have. In the CRC, we also promote the internal change, the organizational adoption of emerging technologies to help more efficiency in our processes and to have these efficiencies translated to our services to the citizens.

Yuhan Zheng: Thank you so much. One of the most important things is about the digital transformation that you mentioned and how to make sure that accessibility is also guaranteed. Also, one of the most interesting things is the internal changes, like you say, within the organization and country. Now, I would like to direct my next question to Daniel Mordecki. Now, we talk a lot about accessibility, capacity building, and now we would like to stress more on the inclusion part. What are the challenges that you think of the service of digitalization in relation to inclusion really works? Thank you.

Daniel Mordecki: Okay. Voy a hablar en español. I will speak in Spanish, so I’ll give you time to get your headphones on. I believe that the question is aiming at that tension that there could be between inclusion and equity, which is not the same. There are different concepts when we look at them, and they require different approaches. In Uruguay, for example, digital inclusion pretty much is between 96% and 98%, and this This is not out of chance. We deployed an FO fiber optic network over 15 years ago. It is small in size. We are not talking about the capital or main cities. All areas, all the country, all the surface area is covered pretty much by fiber optic. Your basic connection to internet is zero. That provides people with enough bytes to get along and that provides inclusion by its nature. The problem is equity and equality of access when you look at index of usage of public administration and e-government services, those numbers reach about 60-ish, 64%. So between 30 and 35 people do have the devices, do have the access, do have the connection. They use it every day, but they don’t significantly use it in order to access e-services. I mean, an individual who nowadays cannot buy a ticket or cannot perform a given transaction or cannot use geopositioning GPS services or that cannot reserve in a hotel, it’s a citizen that we start leaving behind, unfortunately, and we need to change that as a society. The fact that you cannot access a reservation or geoposition, you do it. If you go to the entertainment world in Uruguay, many theaters and many functions are only through internet. So we as policymakers have this new challenge. We cannot leave those people behind. That is not resolved with money nor infrastructure. We need to change their chip, their way they think. And in order to do that, you need to provide the digital literacy. In order to do that, you need to allow that all citizens, men and women, in an equitarian way, use services. We definitely need to move away from 80-20 law and get equity and inclusion all the way down to the last citizen of Uruguay. Thank you so very much.

Yuhan Zheng: Thank you so much. And also, thank you for telling how electricity is not, you cannot just guarantee the electricity to people, but not many people can use the electricity for the internet. So it’s kind of like an equilibrium of all those decision makers and leaders that we need to make for the people to let them to really use the resources right to fulfill their own life. So thank you so much for this very, very fresh and unique perspective that bring us to think further step into everybody’s daily life. So after all the different nationals and real perspective, and we know there are some emerging trends that we need to capture as a foresight to look into the future and to advise on the future generation on how we ignite a digital future that we really desire. So now I come to my last but also a very important question to you, Dr. Kilney, because as a global AI ethic, so policy, you know, every day you are observing how different countries, their insights into those governance of the digital transformation. So what are the some key concerns that governments need to address in order to achieve a successful implementation of e-governance? Thank you.

Ansgar Koene: Thank you very much, and it’s a pleasure to be with you here today. EY of course is a global network of professional services firms and as such we try to support governments and private sector in their digital and AI transformations. Now for government especially, there is an added challenge because as we’ve already heard from the other speakers, government has the obligation and public sector services has the obligation to serve everyone in the country. It is important that the services will work for all citizens, not just for those that are most easy to access. This brings with it the extra challenge of making sure that you get the right kind of assessments, that you can really check that as you’re implementing a new technology from whatever provider it is, that you can successfully assess whether or not it will work in the context of your country, in the context of all of the people within your nation. Within EY, we’ve recently run a survey, an AI sentiment survey, across 15 different countries and unfortunately we’ve found that the confidence that citizens have in the use of AI by government is not that high. It should be improved and one way to do that is really to ensure that we have an ecosystem of good assessment providers around how these technologies work, preferably third-party assessments to identify, have good governance frameworks being put in place, is risk management being taken into account, is there a good quality management system in place. This does not have to be a regulatory regime, it can be, it depends on what works best for whatever jurisdiction we’re operating in, but it is important that it is based on clear standards, clear outlined and clearly communicated framework around what exactly is being assessed, what is being confirmed, because if assessments are being provided but the citizenry, the receivers of these reports do not understand how to interpret them, then this could lead to a misunderstanding while the governance process has been assessed, they may interpret it as being guarantees on the performance of the system or vice versa. So it is very important that policies within the country provide clear and well-communicated frameworks around how these systems are both being implemented and how good implementation is being assessed and guaranteed.

Yuhan Zheng: Thank you so much and for the work that you’ve done to clean and link all the dots together and for a more resilient digital future that we really want to drive and also the assessment you mentioned, it’s quite important, it’s just like a global stocktake in terms of the every national determined contribution to transform your own country’s perspective and also the landscape into the future stage. So and the most important thing in addition to inclusion and it’s also transparency and to create the ecosystem to really understand what everybody wants and what is really desirable but not palpable to just use the big data to predict a future that we want. So now I would like to give a round applause of all our panellists. Thank you so much for presenting today and yeah thank you and also for your participation. So now I would like to welcome all of our panellists to stand in the middle so that we can take a good photo together. Do you want us to stand or yeah great thank you so much. Thank you.

Agreement points

Infrastructure investment is fundamental but insufficient for meaningful digital participation

Speakers

– Daniel Mordecki
– Yuhan Zheng

Arguments

While Uruguay achieved high connectivity rates, only 60-64% of citizens actively use e-government services, highlighting that infrastructure access doesn’t guarantee meaningful digital participation and requires digital literacy initiatives

Successful digital inclusion requires balancing infrastructure provision with ensuring meaningful usage, moving beyond the ‘electricity analogy’ where access doesn’t guarantee effective utilization

Summary

Both speakers emphasize that providing digital infrastructure alone is not sufficient – there must be accompanying efforts to ensure citizens can meaningfully use and benefit from digital services through digital literacy and user empowerment.

Topics

Development | Sociocultural

Comprehensive national digital strategies with multi-stakeholder approaches are essential

Speakers

– Claudia Ximena Bustamante Osorio
– Laial Almansoury

Arguments

Colombia implements a national digital strategy with eight pillars including connectivity, AI, and digital transformation, using regulatory sandboxes and differentiated measures for rural areas and community operators

Kuwait’s digital transformation follows citizen-centered methodology with co-creation approach, resulting in the Sahm platform serving 2.8 million users with over 450 services from 40 government agencies

Summary

Both countries demonstrate the importance of having comprehensive, multi-faceted digital strategies that involve multiple stakeholders and government entities working together toward common digital transformation goals.

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Special attention needed for underserved communities and rural areas

Speakers

– Hubert Vargas Picado
– Claudia Ximena Bustamante Osorio

Arguments

Costa Rica achieved 85% internet connectivity and 99% mobile coverage through strategic public investment, but still faces challenges with 29% of indigenous communities uncovered and 42% of below-poverty populations unable to afford connectivity

Colombia promotes flexible and inclusive regulation using state-of-the-art methodologies, with special focus on reducing regulatory burden for community operators serving less than 5,000 users

Summary

Both countries recognize that achieving universal digital inclusion requires targeted approaches for underserved communities, including indigenous populations, rural areas, and low-income groups, with differentiated regulatory and support measures.

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Citizen-centered design and transparency are crucial for digital governance

Speakers

– Laial Almansoury
– Yuhan Zheng

Arguments

Kuwait’s digital transformation follows citizen-centered methodology with co-creation approach, resulting in the Sahm platform serving 2.8 million users with over 450 services from 40 government agencies

Transparency and ecosystem creation are essential for digital governance, requiring understanding of citizen needs rather than relying solely on big data predictions to shape desired futures

Summary

Both emphasize the importance of putting citizens at the center of digital service design, involving them in co-creation processes, and maintaining transparency in how digital governance decisions are made.

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights principles

Similar viewpoints

Both countries demonstrate that strategic public investment in digital infrastructure can achieve high levels of connectivity, with both achieving over 85% coverage through comprehensive national approaches that prioritize universal access.

Speakers

– Hubert Vargas Picado
– Daniel Mordecki

Arguments

Costa Rica achieved 85% internet connectivity and 99% mobile coverage through strategic public investment, but still faces challenges with 29% of indigenous communities uncovered and 42% of below-poverty populations unable to afford connectivity

Uruguay deployed nationwide fiber optic coverage achieving 96-98% digital inclusion through zero-cost basic internet access, demonstrating that comprehensive infrastructure investment can achieve near-universal connectivity

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

Both emphasize the need for flexible, well-designed regulatory frameworks that use modern methodologies and clear standards to ensure technology serves all citizens effectively while maintaining appropriate oversight.

Speakers

– Claudia Ximena Bustamante Osorio
– Ansgar Koene

Arguments

Colombia promotes flexible and inclusive regulation using state-of-the-art methodologies, with special focus on reducing regulatory burden for community operators serving less than 5,000 users

Clear standards and well-communicated frameworks are essential for AI assessment in government services, with proper risk management and quality assurance systems to ensure technology works for all citizens

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights principles

Unexpected consensus

The gap between digital access and meaningful digital participation

Speakers

– Daniel Mordecki
– Yuhan Zheng

Arguments

While Uruguay achieved high connectivity rates, only 60-64% of citizens actively use e-government services, highlighting that infrastructure access doesn’t guarantee meaningful digital participation and requires digital literacy initiatives

Successful digital inclusion requires balancing infrastructure provision with ensuring meaningful usage, moving beyond the ‘electricity analogy’ where access doesn’t guarantee effective utilization

Explanation

It’s unexpected that a country like Uruguay, which achieved near-universal connectivity (96-98%), would still face significant challenges with only 60-64% of citizens using e-government services. This consensus highlights a critical insight that the digital divide is not just about access but about meaningful participation, which requires a fundamental shift in how we approach digital inclusion policies.

Topics

Development | Sociocultural

The critical importance of trust and assessment frameworks for government AI implementation

Speakers

– Ansgar Koene
– Yuhan Zheng

Arguments

Governments need robust assessment frameworks and third-party evaluations for AI implementation, as citizen confidence in government AI use remains low across 15 countries surveyed

Transparency and ecosystem creation are essential for digital governance, requiring understanding of citizen needs rather than relying solely on big data predictions to shape desired futures

Explanation

The consensus on low citizen confidence in government AI use across 15 countries is unexpected given the rapid adoption of AI technologies by governments. This agreement reveals a significant trust gap that requires immediate attention through transparent governance frameworks and citizen-centered approaches rather than technology-first implementations.

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights principles

Overall assessment

Summary

The speakers demonstrated strong consensus on several key principles: the need for comprehensive national digital strategies, citizen-centered approaches to digital service design, special attention to underserved communities, and the recognition that infrastructure alone is insufficient for meaningful digital inclusion. There was also agreement on the importance of flexible regulatory frameworks and transparency in digital governance.

Consensus level

High level of consensus with significant implications for digital policy. The agreement suggests a maturing understanding of digital transformation that goes beyond technical infrastructure to encompass social, regulatory, and governance dimensions. This consensus indicates that successful digital transformation requires holistic approaches that balance technological capabilities with human-centered design, regulatory innovation, and inclusive implementation strategies. The shared recognition of the access-versus-usage gap represents a critical evolution in digital policy thinking that could reshape how governments approach digital inclusion initiatives globally.

Different viewpoints

Infrastructure vs. Digital Literacy Priority

Speakers

– Hubert Vargas Picado
– Daniel Mordecki

Arguments

Costa Rica achieved 85% internet connectivity and 99% mobile coverage through strategic public investment, but still faces challenges with 29% of indigenous communities uncovered and 42% of below-poverty populations unable to afford connectivity

While Uruguay achieved high connectivity rates, only 60-64% of citizens actively use e-government services, highlighting that infrastructure access doesn’t guarantee meaningful digital participation and requires digital literacy initiatives

Summary

Costa Rica focuses primarily on expanding infrastructure coverage and affordability as the main challenge, while Uruguay demonstrates that even with near-universal coverage, the real challenge lies in digital literacy and meaningful usage of services.

Topics

Development | Infrastructure | Sociocultural

Unexpected differences

Success Metrics for Digital Inclusion

Speakers

– Daniel Mordecki
– Hubert Vargas Picado

Arguments

Uruguay deployed nationwide fiber optic coverage achieving 96-98% digital inclusion through zero-cost basic internet access, demonstrating that comprehensive infrastructure investment can achieve near-universal connectivity

Costa Rica achieved 85% internet connectivity and 99% mobile coverage through strategic public investment, but still faces challenges with 29% of indigenous communities uncovered and 42% of below-poverty populations unable to afford connectivity

Explanation

Unexpectedly, Uruguay with higher connectivity rates (96-98%) reveals deeper usage problems, while Costa Rica with lower connectivity rates (85%) focuses on coverage expansion. This suggests different definitions of success and different stages of digital maturity between countries.

Topics

Development | Infrastructure | Sociocultural

Overall assessment

Summary

The main areas of disagreement center around prioritization strategies for digital inclusion – whether to focus on infrastructure expansion versus digital literacy, and different approaches to citizen engagement and regulatory frameworks.

Disagreement level

Low to moderate disagreement level. The speakers generally align on goals of inclusive digital transformation but differ in their strategic approaches and priorities based on their countries’ specific contexts and development stages. These differences appear to be complementary rather than conflicting, suggesting different phases of digital maturity rather than fundamental philosophical disagreements.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both countries demonstrate that strategic public investment in digital infrastructure can achieve high levels of connectivity, with both achieving over 85% coverage through comprehensive national approaches that prioritize universal access.

Speakers

– Hubert Vargas Picado
– Daniel Mordecki

Arguments

Costa Rica achieved 85% internet connectivity and 99% mobile coverage through strategic public investment, but still faces challenges with 29% of indigenous communities uncovered and 42% of below-poverty populations unable to afford connectivity

Uruguay deployed nationwide fiber optic coverage achieving 96-98% digital inclusion through zero-cost basic internet access, demonstrating that comprehensive infrastructure investment can achieve near-universal connectivity

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

Both emphasize the need for flexible, well-designed regulatory frameworks that use modern methodologies and clear standards to ensure technology serves all citizens effectively while maintaining appropriate oversight.

Speakers

– Claudia Ximena Bustamante Osorio
– Ansgar Koene

Arguments

Colombia promotes flexible and inclusive regulation using state-of-the-art methodologies, with special focus on reducing regulatory burden for community operators serving less than 5,000 users

Clear standards and well-communicated frameworks are essential for AI assessment in government services, with proper risk management and quality assurance systems to ensure technology works for all citizens

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights principles

Key takeaways

Digital infrastructure investment alone is insufficient – countries need to address both connectivity and digital literacy to achieve meaningful digital inclusion

Successful digital transformation requires citizen-centered design approaches with co-creation methodologies rather than top-down implementation

Rural and indigenous communities require differentiated regulatory approaches and targeted support, including subsidized spectrum costs and reduced regulatory burdens for community operators

National digital strategies must be multi-stakeholder efforts with clear pillars covering connectivity, AI, security, capacity building, and digital transformation

There is a critical distinction between digital inclusion (access to technology) and digital equity (meaningful use of digital services) that requires different policy approaches

Government AI implementation faces low citizen confidence and requires robust third-party assessment frameworks with clear, well-communicated standards

Universal basic internet access (zero-cost connectivity) can achieve near-universal digital inclusion when combined with comprehensive fiber optic infrastructure

Resolutions and action items

Costa Rica committed to updating progress on their 5G tender and connectivity expansion in two years

Costa Rica will continue implementing their plan to cover the 134 most unconnected districts with 5G infrastructure over 2, 4, and 6-year timeframes

Kuwait will continue expanding their Sahm platform services and improving user experience through integrated digital services like the ‘Born’s Journey’

Colombia will continue promoting regulatory sandboxes and collaborative regulation for emerging technologies

Uruguay needs to focus on digital literacy initiatives to bridge the gap between connectivity (96-98%) and actual e-service usage (60-64%)

Unresolved issues

How to effectively reach and serve the remaining 29% of uncovered indigenous communities in Costa Rica and similar populations globally

How to make digital services affordable for below-poverty populations (42% in Costa Rica cannot afford connectivity)

How to improve citizen confidence in government AI systems across different countries and cultural contexts

How to ensure digital literacy programs effectively convert digital access into meaningful digital participation

How to balance rapid technological advancement with inclusive implementation that doesn’t leave vulnerable populations behind

How to establish standardized international frameworks for AI assessment and governance while respecting national sovereignty

Suggested compromises

Costa Rica’s approach of subsidizing spectrum costs up to 90% while requiring operators to expand infrastructure to underserved areas

Colombia’s differentiated regulatory measures that reduce burden for community operators serving less than 5,000 users while maintaining service standards

Uruguay’s model of providing zero-cost basic internet access while allowing paid premium services

Flexible regulatory frameworks that can adapt to emerging technologies while maintaining people-centric focus

Multi-stakeholder approaches that balance public investment with private sector capabilities

As a small country with no commodities like oil or minerals, we decided that the business of military deterrence was not ours 80 years ago. So, because of that, we abolished our army, and that has allowed us to invest a lot in education and more recently in digital skills, because we believe that our oil, specifically our talent.

Speaker

Hubert Vargas Picado

Reason

This comment is deeply insightful because it reframes national resource allocation and strategic priorities. By connecting Costa Rica’s unique decision to abolish its military with its digital transformation strategy, Picado presents a compelling alternative model for national development that prioritizes human capital over traditional security spending. The metaphor of ‘talent as oil’ is particularly powerful in illustrating how countries can leverage their human resources as their primary competitive advantage.

Impact

This comment established a foundational theme for the entire discussion about alternative pathways to digital development. It shifted the conversation from purely technical infrastructure discussions to broader questions of national strategy and resource allocation, influencing subsequent speakers to consider how their countries’ unique circumstances shape their digital transformation approaches.

We believe the most impactful digital solutions are built with the citizen, not merely for them.

Speaker

Laial Almansoury

Reason

This statement encapsulates a fundamental shift in governance philosophy from top-down service delivery to participatory co-creation. It challenges the traditional model of government service provision and introduces the concept of citizens as active partners in designing their own digital experiences rather than passive recipients.

Impact

This comment elevated the discussion from technical implementation details to philosophical questions about the relationship between government and citizens in the digital age. It introduced the concept of co-creation that influenced the moderator’s subsequent questions about user experience and accessibility, steering the conversation toward more human-centered approaches.

The problem is equity and equality of access when you look at index of usage of public administration and e-government services, those numbers reach about 60-ish, 64%. So between 30 and 35 people do have the devices, do have the access, do have the connection. They use it every day, but they don’t significantly use it in order to access e-services… That is not resolved with money nor infrastructure. We need to change their chip, their way they think.

Speaker

Daniel Mordecki

Reason

This is perhaps the most thought-provoking comment of the entire discussion because it challenges the fundamental assumption that digital inclusion equals digital infrastructure access. Mordecki introduces a crucial distinction between inclusion (having access) and equity (meaningful usage), revealing that technical solutions alone are insufficient. His observation that people use technology daily but avoid e-government services exposes a deeper behavioral and trust gap that infrastructure cannot solve.

Impact

This comment created a pivotal turning point in the discussion, shifting focus from infrastructure and technical solutions to behavioral change and digital literacy. The moderator immediately recognized its significance, using the electricity analogy to reinforce the point. This insight reframed the entire conversation’s conclusion, leading to deeper questions about citizen confidence and the need for comprehensive assessment frameworks rather than just technical implementations.

Unfortunately we’ve found that the confidence that citizens have in the use of AI by government is not that high. It should be improved and one way to do that is really to ensure that we have an ecosystem of good assessment providers around how these technologies work, preferably third-party assessments… if the citizenry, the receivers of these reports do not understand how to interpret them, then this could lead to a misunderstanding.

Speaker

Ansgar Koene

Reason

This comment introduces the critical issue of citizen trust in government AI systems and highlights the communication gap between technical assessments and public understanding. It’s insightful because it connects the technical governance of AI with the social acceptance necessary for successful implementation, revealing that transparency without comprehensibility can actually create more confusion.

Impact

This comment brought the discussion full circle by connecting the earlier themes of citizen-centric design and behavioral change with the practical challenges of implementing emerging technologies. It reinforced Mordecki’s point about the gap between access and meaningful usage, while providing a concrete framework for addressing trust through better assessment and communication practices.

Overall assessment

These key comments fundamentally transformed what could have been a routine technical discussion about digital infrastructure into a nuanced exploration of the human dimensions of digital transformation. Picado’s opening about Costa Rica’s unique strategic choices set an innovative tone that encouraged other speakers to think beyond conventional approaches. Almansoury’s emphasis on co-creation shifted the focus to participatory governance, while Mordecki’s distinction between inclusion and equity provided the discussion’s most significant conceptual breakthrough – revealing that the real challenge isn’t just connecting people to technology, but ensuring they can meaningfully engage with it. Koene’s closing observations about citizen trust and assessment frameworks tied these themes together, showing how technical governance must be coupled with public understanding. Together, these comments elevated the discussion from operational details to fundamental questions about the relationship between technology, government, and citizens, creating a more sophisticated understanding of what truly inclusive digital transformation requires.

How to create empowering environments for young people and future generations to reach the last mile in digital connectivity

Speaker

Yuhan Zheng

Explanation

This was mentioned as an important follow-up after discussing indigenous communities and connectivity gaps, recognizing the need to focus on youth empowerment in digital inclusion efforts

How to ensure good user experience in e-government services across different regions

Speaker

Yuhan Zheng

Explanation

This was identified as a common challenge that all regions represented need to address, following Kuwait’s presentation on their Sahel platform

How to move citizens from having digital access to actually using e-government services effectively

Speaker

Daniel Mordecki

Explanation

Uruguay identified a gap where 96-98% have digital inclusion but only 60-64% use e-government services, highlighting the difference between access and meaningful usage

How to provide digital literacy to change citizens’ mindset about using digital services

Speaker

Daniel Mordecki

Explanation

This was identified as a key challenge that cannot be resolved with money or infrastructure alone, requiring a fundamental shift in how people think about and engage with digital services

How to improve citizen confidence in government use of AI technologies

Speaker

Ansgar Koene

Explanation

EY’s survey across 15 countries found low citizen confidence in government AI use, indicating a need for better governance frameworks and communication strategies

How to develop better assessment frameworks for AI implementation in government services

Speaker

Ansgar Koene

Explanation

There’s a need for clear, well-communicated frameworks for assessing AI systems in government, including third-party assessments and quality management systems

How to ensure AI and digital services work for all citizens, not just those easiest to access

Speaker

Ansgar Koene

Explanation

Government services have the obligation to serve everyone, requiring special attention to ensure new technologies work across all demographic groups and contexts