Major Boost in Latin America Digital Integration

One of the main conclusions of the 5th Latin American Telecommunications Congress, held in Cartagena, Colombia, on June 20-23, was the need to invest in the consolidation of a single regional market that boosts integration processes and helps Latin America compete confidently with more advanced economies.

For this process to be successful in achieving comprehensive growth integrating citizens and small- and medium-sized companies, it must address major challenges facing the region by performing actions such as boosting productivity and competitiveness, reducing disparities and improving digital infrastructure.

As pointed out by Mauricio Agudelo, ICT expert at CAF—development bank of Latin America—, efforts to create a regional digital market have been subject to each country’s needs; therefore, there have not been enough incentives to achieve an effective regional integration.

“We will have to analyze ways to promote e-commerce and trading of goods among countries of the region. To this end, it will be important to look at how the countries of Asia and the Pacific are developing their internet economy, or assess the European Union approach on data, signature geolocation and digital economy matters,” said Agudelo in a high-level panel organized by CAF.

There are several initiatives driving regional digital integration, notably the Pacific Alliance, although the general consensus is that, while some progress has been made, the full potential expected from efficient integration processes has not been realized.  

“The mission of the Pacific Alliance countries is to act on a concrete plan that our countries are developing to boost the digital economy. The question is how to procure development by achieving integration without increasing the gaps between countries. And this must be done through a collaborative effort across all sectors”, stated Luz María García, adviser to the Chilean Undersecretary of Economy.  

Wilson Peres, economic adviser to ECLAC, made an appeal to emphasize the key role of companies in the digital inclusion process, because regulation and the prominent role of companies can help obtain the compelling rates expected. “We are on the right track, but it is time to quicken our step,” he said.

Santiago Pinzón, Vice President of ANDI’s Digital Transition, stated that “the main challenge is to materialize regional alliances in the entrepreneurs’ daily life. Nothing changes if we fail to achieve a cost-to-benefit logic, and we will not be able to compete with the rest of the world We need clear rules to be able to compete.”

Walker San Miguel Rodríguez, Secretary General of CAN, said that “for people, the challenges are summarized in more connectivity and networking. And on the institutional side, supranational bodies should support increased integration and convergence.”

Lastly, Oscar León, Executive Secretary of CITEL (OAS), said that it is important to record the initiatives raised at the event in a base document of priorities, upon which we must build all digital integration efforts across Latin America.