Dialogue Series for the Latin American and Caribbean Region

The High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation is an independent, expert commission tasked by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to conduct wide-ranging consultations on the opportunities and challenges of cooperation in the digital age. Chaired by Mr. Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba, and Ms. Melinda Gates, Co-Founder of the Gates Foundation, the Panel will produce a report with actionable recommendations on cooperative action across sectors, disciplines and borders so as to realize the transformational potential of digital technologies, while safeguarding against the risks and unintended consequences. The release of the report is expected by June 2019.
The Digital agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean (eLAC2020) is a strategy that proposes the use of digital technologies as instruments of sustainable development. Its mission is to promote the development of the digital ecosystem in Latin America and the Caribbean through a process of regional integration and cooperation, strengthening digital policies that promote knowledge, inclusion and equity, innovation and environmental sustainability.

As part of its consultation process, the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation, in partnership with Digital agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean (eLAC2020), plans to hold a series of online conversations on digital cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean during April 2019. The aim of the conversations is to collect perspectives and feedback from Latin American and Caribbean governments and other actors on the Panel’s draft recommendations, which will be published in the Spring 2019.

The consultations in Latin America and the Caribbean will focus on the ways and means for governments and other actors to cooperate on the following issues:

• Inclusiveness
• Digital public goods
• Implementation of values and principles
• Governance
• Safety and security
• Data