Digital Economy WG: priority for inclusion and overcoming technological inequalities

Brasil’s Minister of Communications, Juscelino Filho, highlighted the importance of the discussion of issues related to digital inclusion, universal connectivity, digital government, access to technologies such as artificial intelligence, and information integrity. His speech was delivered this Thursday (18) during the opening session of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (WG). The Brazilian Presidency of the G20 will “promote an agenda focused on development and on overcoming inequalities in digital transformation”, he stated.

Brasil’s Minister of Communications, Juscelino Filho, opened the face-to-face meeting of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group by announcing that the Brasil G20 Presidency will “promote an agenda focused on development and on overcoming inequalities in digital transformation”. The meeting takes place until the 20th at the G20 headquarters in Brasília.

According to the Minister, the great challenge in the discussion and implementation of public policies on digital issues is the speed with which these technological innovations are adopted, the implications it has for the governance of digital transformation, as well as the equitable distribution and its benefits.

“Together with the Brazilian Ministry of Education, we have the goal of significantly connecting all of the almost 138 thousand public schools from the state and municipal systems in the whole country by 2026. This includes both the schools in rural and urban areas, establishing the conditions for the digital transformation of our country”, announced Minister Juscelino.

The Working Group priority themes are guided by the Brazilian proposal of social inclusion in four axes: Universal and meaningful connectivity, Digital government, Information integrity, and Artificial Intelligence for sustainable development and the reduction of inequalities.  “These themes signal the Brazilian government's comprehensive approach to digital economy issues,” explained Juscelino. 

Connectivity for all  

According to the Minister, digital transformation requires qualified connectivity. “A connectivity that can provide a safe user experience, bringing satisfaction, enrichment, productivity at an accessible cost to the final user”, he advocated.

Today, 90% of Brazilian households have an Internet connection and one of the projects to further increase connectivity is the implantation of 12,000 kilometers of optical fiber cables along the riverbeds of the Brazilian Amazon. 

The Digital Economy WG will have another technical meeting in June in the city of São Luís, in Maranhão, closing its activities with a ministerial meeting in September in Maceió, the capital city of the state of Alagoas. 

The Digital Economy WG is under the coordination of the Brazilian Ministry of Communications in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Management, Innovation, and Public Services, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation; the Secretariat of Social Communication, and the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil.

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