Skopje, 4 April 2023 (MIA) – Digital technologies offer many opportunities to improve the lives of citizens, but they should be used in an efficient, safe and ethical way. Digital transformation should be inclusive, led by citizens and adapted to their needs, and the priority should be digital competences of young people as one of the most vulnerable categories in society and its future leaders.

This is the focus of the international conference "Civic-Centric Digital Transformation", which is organized by the Metamorphosis Foundation on Tuedsay and Wednesday in Skopje. 

Deputy PM for good governance policies Slavica Grkovska told the opening of the two-day conference that digital transformation was the reality of the 21st century, adding that it was not a matter of wish or choice, but of survival and development under new conditions.

"It has the potential to bring about radical improvements, to speed up the resolution of systemic problems that have accumulated over the past decades and are hindering development. The use of digital technologies leads to greater efficiency, to lower costs, better quality of life and to reduction of corruption when citizens access services," Grkovska pointed out, adding that it is a process that will inevitably take place, but not overnight, and noting that it is also related to associated threats such as cyber security. 

Dealing with the threats, she said, must take place in parallel with the development of digital services, so that citizens have protected personal data in the digital world. She stressed that in addition to investments in digital infrastructure, education in acquiring digital skills is also important.

She mentioned that the Government adopted the Concept for digital transformation of society two weeks ago, which will be implemented with other institutions, with the private and civil sector and with the academic community, noting that it will enable a systemic and organized transformation of society.

Minister of Information Society and Administration, Azir Aliu, told the opening session that the main goal should be management of human resources and optimization of business processes in institutions.

"Very often no importance is attached to it. As a country, we have not advanced this process in various institutions, in education, in healthcare, and we don't have the necessary culture and cooperation to be more open to the processes. That's why we are stumped or we're two steps behind. We didn't take advantage of the COVID-19 for a faster digital transformation, and we're again starting from scratch to develop processes with new technologies. Institutions and civil society organizations should together create a culture for digital progress that is created only through cooperation, openness and keeping up with the times, because digital technologies are very dynamic and change daily," Aliu pointed out. 

He noted that as a minister who has been in the Government for a month, he will actively advocate for the implementation of the strategies for digitalization and cyber security of the Ministry of Information Society and Administration, adding that cooperation and changing the mindset in terms of using digital technologies is needed.

Bardhyl Jashari, Executive director of the Metamorphosis Foundation for Internet and Society, pointed out that the main challenge is cyber security, not only as technology, but as standards and protocols in the institutions themselves and as the ability of people to navigate through the complex digital space and to be more resistant to disinformation. 

"This is a challenge now and in the future. Another challenge is the skills gap. Everyone in society needs to have the necessary skills to use the services provided by the Government. Resistance and fear of change is also another challenge that is important because it inhibits digital transformation in our region. Without an open-minded approach and without an inclusive approach, we cannot hope that the digital transformation will bring useful things," Jashari told the opening of the conference, which includes seven panel discussions with participants from the region on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Photo: MIA