Honduras Digital Government Plan (2023–2026)

Honduras’ digital government plan (2023–2026) is a comprehensive strategy launched under President Xiomara Castro to modernise the Honduran state through digital tools, align the country with international best practices, and address significant gaps in government digitalisation.

Context and objectives

The plan was developed because Honduras ranks among the lowest in the region in the UN’s E-Government Development Index (155 of 193 countries in 2022, with particularly weak performance in online services). This lag stems from institutional fragmentation, lack of a long-term vision, and inconsistent digital policies. The plan responds by creating a unified roadmap, aligning with the Política Nacional de la República Digital 2022–2025 and the Plan de Gobierno para Refundar Honduras 2022–2026. Its overarching goal is to strengthen public institutions, foster transparency, and improve citizen services through digital platforms. The national target is to improve the UN Online Service Index score by at least 25–50 points by 2026.

Structure and pillars

The plan defines a mission of building transparent and digitalised institutions, with an overall objective of transitioning from e-government to a fully digital government. It sets ten specific objectives, including:

• opening and reusing public data,
• enabling citizen participation via digital platforms,
• strengthening IT governance and public procurement,
• creating digital services and a unified citizen portal,
• establishing digital identity,
• building interoperable data systems,
• enhancing digital skills among public officials, and
• ensuring cybersecurity and data protection.

These objectives are grouped into six strategic pillars inspired by OECD’s digital government dimensions but adapted to Honduras: sustainability, planning, cost-effectiveness, digital-by-design, openness by default, and evidence-based policymaking.

Programs and implementation

To operationalise the plan, 10 major programs have been designed:

1. Open data for entrepreneurship,
2. Accessible and democratic e-participation,
3. IT planning and institutional strengthening,
4. Digital public procurement,
5. Online citizen services and simplification of 85 key procedures,
6. Data exchange and interoperability,
7. Universal digital identity,
8. Common platforms and process reengineering,
9. Digital skills and training for public officials,
10. Cybersecurity, monitoring, and data protection.

Each program includes concrete projects, deadlines, and measurable outcomes. For example, by 2026, Honduras aims to have a national interoperability platform, a fully operational digital ID system, and a unified portal integrating at least 85 critical administrative procedures. It also commits to adopting a national cloud strategy, modernising data centres, and issuing new digital government, cybersecurity, and data protection laws.

Regional and international alignment

The plan is aligned with the eLAC2024 agenda of CEPAL, the Inter-American Development Bank’s Digital Action Framework, and the SICA Regional Digital Agenda 2022–2025. These frameworks emphasise interoperability, open standards, digital inclusion, and cybersecurity, all of which are reflected in Honduras’ roadmap