Carlos Vargas: LAC countries’ approach to digital transformation and cross-border collaboration

Written by Carlos Vargas, Expert 

Digital transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) rarely unfolds evenly. Through our work with the EU–LAC Digital Alliance, we have seen real progress alongside persistent challenges. Much of this is shaped by politics, institutions and a growing realisation that digital transformation is less about technology and more about governance. 

One lesson stands out from eGA’s work in the region: digital tools alone do not change public administration. What matters is how they are governed, coordinated and embedded in daily practice. Encouragingly, many governments are now moving beyond isolated solutions and focusing on interoperability, trust, legal frameworks and institutional roles. This is an important shift, even if it is not always the most visible one. 

Structural challenges remain 

Observations from the past year’s projects from across the LAC countries confirm that structural challenges remain deeply embedded. Different approaches within governments continue to limit impact, with digital identity systems, electronic signatures, registries and platforms often evolving in parallel. Capacity constraints, staff turnover and limited budgets are realities for many administrations. In several cases, ambitious national strategies coexist with weak implementation mechanisms, reminding us that vision alone is not enough. 

However, governments’ willingness to cooperate, together with eGA’s engagement in the region, has focused on strengthening foundations rather than promoting magical solutions. Through policy dialogues, technical consultations, peer exchange and capacity-building activities, we have collaborated with public institutions to address the core conditions of digital transformation, including governance models, interoperability frameworks, trust services and citizen-centric design. Our role has been less about providing answers and more about helping governments ask the right questions at the right moment. 

Focus on cross-border interoperability and digital identity  

One of the most notable changes over the past year has been the way governments increasingly frame their challenges in regional terms. Cross-border interoperability, digital identity and mutual recognition of trust services are now discussed as practical requirements rather than distant aspirations. These conversations have helped create alignment around shared principles and approaches, even in contexts where national differences exist. 

Several developments were clearly accelerated through these exchanges. We have seen governments move from exploratory discussions toward more concrete roadmaps on interoperability governance, clarify institutional responsibilities around digital identity and electronic signatures, and begin to position trust services as part of broader digital ecosystems rather than standalone tools. Just as importantly, there has been growing recognition that cross-border collaboration depends on strong internal coordination, which involves breaking down silos at home before attempting to connect across borders. 

From regional dialogue to local solution 

The work in the region has also generated meaningful spinoffs. In Ecuador, recent engagements have built directly on regional experience to support national discussions on digital governance and interoperability.  In Guatemala, consultations have helped translate regional dialogue into concrete discussions on public sector modernisation and service delivery. Collaboration with Cuba has also shown that, even in complex contexts, technical cooperation and sustained dialogue on digital public infrastructure can foster trust and transparency in governance. Together, these experiences also highlight how Uruguay, alongside Brazil, has emerged as a regional leader in advancing cross-border digital signature recognition with the European Union. 

What emerges from these experiences is not a model to be replicated but a shared understanding that is gradually taking shape. LAC countries increasingly recognise that digital transformation is a long-term institutional reform, requiring continuity, coordination and political commitment. Regional cooperation is therefore seen as a strategic accelerator, particularly for countries that benefit from shared standards, peer learning and collective problem-solving. 

Finally, as LAC countries continue their digital journeys, the past year has reinforced a simple but important insight: meaningful digital transformation is built over time, through trust, learning, patience and cooperation, combined with hard work. The challenge ahead is not only to digitalise more but to do so with clarity of purpose, ensuring that digital transformation ultimately serves citizens, institutions and regional collaboration alike. 

Lessons learned from LAC experience 

• Governance must come before technology.  

• Interoperability should be treated as both a policy issue and a technical one.  

• Investment in people, institutions and communities of practice is essential.  

• Meaningful digital transformation is built over time, through trust, learning, patience and cooperation. 

• Digitisation should involve a clear purpose. 

Cross-country cooperation in LAC countries 

The EU–LAC project focuses on developing a cross-border framework, primarily through testing concepts in international exercises and events. 

• In 2025, activities included two-day international tabletop exercises on cross-border service development between: 

• Uruguay and Chile 

• Costa Rica and Guatemala 

• Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Dominican Republic, Barbados and Jamaica 

• In 2024, EU–LAC activities involved collaboration on ICT governance with Guatemala. 

• A two-day digital inclusion seminar was organised for the Central American region, with participation from government officials and civil society representatives from: 

• Dominican Republic 

• Guatemala 

• Costa Rica 

• Panama 

• Honduras  

Key projects 

EU-LAC High-Level Policy Dialogue on Digital Policy and Regulations 

2023 – 2025 

Funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development 

This action supports faster digital transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean by strengthening regulatory harmonisation, governance frameworks and EU–LAC cooperation in areas such as data protection and sharing, cybersecurity, e-governance, interoperability, AI and connectivity. The e-Governance Academy team contributes through e-governance consultations. The project forms part of the EU–LAC Digital Alliance under the Regional Team Europe Initiative, cofinanced by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. 

Digital governance enhancement in Guatemala 

2025 – 2029 

The project aims to build a more advanced, efficient and inclusive digital governance system in Guatemala by strengthening governance, building institutional capacity and implementing interoperability solutions. Through pilot programmes, co-creation and training, it supports Guatemalan institutions in leading a coordinated and sustainable digital transformation aligned with European and global best practices. 

Funded by the European Union