In an increasingly digitalised world, there is also the need to ensure an effective strategy for digital resilience. Digital resilience refers to the ability to navigate rapid digital transformation with confidence. It may be defined as “a set of practices that support the ability of an organisation to protect itself from – and respond to – digital security threats, to ensure the wellbeing of its members/individuals, and to adopt infrastructures that respond to the ever-changing needs and contexts of the organisation and its members.” Thus, digital resilience seeks to ensure that adequate preparations are made for emergency scenarios that would impact digital infrastructure and approaching the concept holistically prioritising people’s wellbeing and ensuring staff’s experiences are reflected in the organisation’s tech choices and policies. Digital resilience has recently been elevated as a global priority for governments, development agencies, institutions, businesses, and society at large. Many countries as well as regional organisations have in recent times been focussing on a strategy to develop digital resilience.
During the Forty-Seventh Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) held at St. George’s, Grenada from July 28-20, a Regional Digital Resilience Strategy was endorsed that will guide how the region endorses the digital landscape. The strategy was presented by Dickon Mitchell, CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of Grenada, and also the Lead Head of Government with responsibility for Science and Technology in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet. Mitchell said the strategy will address issues such as digital integration, infrastructure and connectivity, digital skills, workforce development and capacity-building, and the policy and regulatory environments.
The Grenada Prime Minister announced that the CARICOM Heads of Government also endorsed the creation of a digital skills fund which will be used to train 10000 CARICOM youths in specific digital skills “so they can move in the Caribbean and not leave the Caribbean and be able to provide their services to citizens globally.” Youth unemployment and under-employment will also be addressed through the establishment of the fund. CARICOM will provide partial financing and intends to seek support for the fund from its international development partners, the CARICOM chair said.
At the opening of the 47th Regular Meeting on 28 July, Prime Minister Mitchell committed to championing an “ambitious, digital transformation agenda”, pointing out that the Region has an opportunity to ensure that it is not left behind in the technological revolution. “We owe it to the next generation of Caribbean citizens to give them the tools and the education to ensure that they can stay in the Caribbean and ply their skills anywhere in the world, because there is no better place to live than in the Caribbean,” he said.
As part of a strategy for Regional Digital Resilience presented by Granada Prime Minister Mitchell, Chairman of the Conference, and Lead Head on Science and Technology (including Information and Communications), the Conference agreed to establish a CARICOM Digital Skills Training and Learning Network (CDSTLD), and to launch the Digi-Smart CARICOM Digital Skills Initiative in 2024. They also agreed to undertake a regional project to train CARICOM citizens in key areas such as Artificial Intelligence and data analytics.
Additional activities under the Strategy will include establishment of the Cybersecurity and Resilience Information Sharing Framework at IMPACS; launch of a telemedicine pilot in three CARICOM Member States; commissioning of a CARICOM Digital Health Strategy; and the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Grenada.
The Digital Resilience Strategy is designed to address the growing need for digital integration and connectivity within the Caribbean region. It focuses on several key areas, including the development of robust digital infrastructure, the enhancement of cybersecurity measures, and the promotion of digital literacy among the population. The strategy also aims to foster innovation and entrepreneurship by creating an enabling environment for digital businesses to thrive.
