With the presence of the Undersecretary of Telecommunications of Chile, Pedro Huichalaf, a workshop to build capacities for the digital ecosystem was inaugurated today at the headquarters of ECLAC in Santiago, Chile.
This workshop is the first milestone of the training program for the digital ecosystem (CE-Digital), which aims to offer training opportunities to officials of regulatory agencies and those responsible for the formulation of public policies on information and communications technologies (ICTs) in the countries of South America.
The workshop was inaugurated by Fernando Rojas, Coordinator of ECLAC’s Regional Broadband Observatory, Mauricio Agudelo, senior specialist in telecommunications of CAF, and Sebastián Cabello, head of Latin America of the GSMA. Subsequently, Chile's Undersecretary of Communications, Pedro Huichalaf, gave an overview of the State of Chile in the field of telecommunications.
In his opening remarks, Fernando Rojas highlighted the key role played by new technologies for the economic and social development of the region, as well as the increase of inclusion and equality. "Promoting the development of ICTs in the region is essential and presents constant challenges to reduce the gaps with developed countries; therefore, public policies and regulation should evolve along with those challenges. In that context, CE Digital is a tool to promote the development of these technologies."
Mauricio Agudelo, on his remarks, emphasized that the program "will be an instrument to strengthen the skills of policy makers and regulators in the region, thanks to courses that are at the frontier of knowledge". Sebastián Cabello agreed with this statement, adding that the relevance of a program like CE Digital is to foster a better regulatory understanding which helps connecting everything and everyone to a better future.
The four days workshop will focus on competition policies in the digital age and the progress of the Internet of things (IoT). Expert in telecommunications Ernesto Flores-Rou will lecture on the first subject, providing a basis for understanding the competition rules and the regulatory powers that apply to the telecommunications sector, within the framework of a broader competitive environment. The second part –in charge of Stefano Nicoletti, M2M regulatory manager from the GSMA– will show the benefits that IoT can bring to citizens, consumers and businesses, its regulatory implications and its difference with traditional telecommunications services. The course will be attended by 50 students from ministries, secretariats and universities, from 13 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe.
