Digitization as a key to ensure transparency and reduce corruption

Digitization is called upon to become one of the determining factors in restoring public trust in public and private economic stakeholders, and in reducing corruption in Latin America. This is one of the main conclusions the experts reached at the Annual Latin American Cities Conference, organized in Lima by the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas (AS-COA) in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Peru.

“Ensuring transparency in the public sector is as important as securing it in business and corporate management. The public and private sectors must be partners in the fight against corruption, and that means that we must be allies in the fight for transparency,” said Martín Vizcarra, President of Peru. 

“The digital revolution is not only a revolution of the economy but also of the State. Latin American society is becoming younger, more urbanized and more connected, and this transition offers countless opportunities to leverage the digital world and adapt institutions to the demands of civil society,” said Carlos Santiso, director of Digital Innovation of the State at CAF—development bank of Latin America. 

Santiso also claimed that integrity, transparency and the restoration of public trust are critical to fulfill the Productivity Pact that Latin America needs to relaunch its economies. In this sense, he stressed that promoting transparency is not done against the private sector, but with the private sector, and that corruption must be punished, while establishing mechanisms to ensure continuity of public investments.

Furthermore, Susana Silva, Secretary of Public Integrity of Peru, presented examples of how digitization can improve efficiency and promote transparency. “E-government is a great tool to improve public management and to ensure transparency, traceability and reduce corruption,” said Silva.

In addition, Silva advocated for the strengthening of entities in the justice system and explained that 7% of people in Peru have a high tolerance to corruption, while 65% have a medium tolerance. In this sense, she presented the measures taken by the Peruvian Government to change this culture.  

Brian Winter, Vice President for Public Policy of the AS-COA, claimed that the rise of the middle class in Latin American countries has led to higher demand by citizens, and that has helped uncover cases of corruption in recent years in the region. 

In addition to exploring the economic prospects of Peru and the region, the Conference focused on how governments can collaborate with the private sector to promote transparency and restore confidence. The panelists discussed immediate and long-term strategies to strengthen institutions and promote accountability based on regional corruption scandals.