Amazon Web Services (AWS), the division of the American technology giant Amazon dedicated to cloud computing, and the Government of Tierra Del Fuego agreed on a plan to advance the digital transformation of the southern province to turn it into a “smart” island , taking advantage of information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants and enhance their “sustainable development.”
In the following own interview, which I originally published in iProfesional, Lorena Zicker, public sector leader of Amazon Web Services for the Southern Cone, reveals the company’s plans in the province of Fuegian.
-What does this alliance between Amazon Web Services and the government of the province of Tierra del Fuego consist of? What are your goals and plans? What are its stages?
-The collaboration between Amazon Web Services and the government of the province of Tierra del Fuego aims to promote the digital transformation of the region, turning it into a “smart island.”
The project seeks to improve the quality of life of citizens through the implementation of advanced cloud technologies, big data solutions, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Many islands are at the beginning of their digital transformation journey. While lessons can be learned from existing smart city solutions, each island has its own challenges and opportunities.
Digital technologies enable islands to achieve better social, environmental and economic outcomes for citizens, businesses and visitors.
Smart solutions provide sustainable local economic development through the optimal use of local resources. They help islanders acquire new skills, increase local participation and improve their interactions with authorities.
Due to their geography, the islands face several challenges. They often rely on fossil fuels for energy, face high transportation and connectivity costs, and have limited economic diversification.
However, geography also makes islands ideal laboratories for technological, environmental and economic innovation.
The Smart Island project will serve as a testbed for innovative technology that can help other remote communities around the world overcome similar challenges.
-Why the choice of Tierra del Fuego? What are the strengths and obstacles that this alliance will have?
-Tierra del Fuego was chosen due to its vision of becoming a leading region in technological innovation and sustainable development. Its strengths include a solid base of technology companies and a management committed to digital transformation.
However, it faces challenges such as its remote geographic location, which implies high connectivity and transportation costs, as well as the need to diversify its productive matrix.
-What place will formal education and training of people who work on the island in the technological and electronic sector have in this alliance?
-Education and training are fundamental pillars of this collaboration. AWS will implement training programs in cloud computing and emerging technologies.
These programs are aimed at students, professionals and employees of the public and private sectors, with the aim of developing skills that support the digital transformation and economic growth of the province.
Talent training is one of our main objectives in Argentina. In May, together with the government of Tierra del Fuego and other provinces, we launched AWS Entrena Argentina, a massive and free training program that will give access to basic knowledge of cloud technologies to students, companies and entrepreneurs, with the aim of training 100,000 Argentines by the end of 2025.
-What is the role of Amazon Web Services in this alliance? What will the company provide?
-AWS will play a crucial role as a provider of technology infrastructure and cloud solutions. The company will offer computing, storage, database, big data analytics, IoT and machine learning services.
In addition, AWS will provide its experience and resources for the implementation of intelligent solutions and the training of the local workforce.
In our collaborations with the public sector, we make available programs such as AWS Skills Tech, AWS DigiTech, among others, and we provide governments with the tools and timely support in their digital and cultural transformation process, focusing on the citizen to be able to offer quality programs and services.
-How much will be the economic impact of this alliance in the province?
-We hope that this collaboration will have a significant economic impact in Tierra del Fuego. Modernizing digital infrastructure, improving public services and training the workforce will contribute to sustainable economic development.
The creation of a “smart island” will attract investment, encourage the growth of local technology companies and improve the province’s competitiveness.
-Tierra del Fuego has a base of companies benefiting from industrial promotion that are directly related to ICT, with the production of cell phones, computers and other technological and electronic products. Will these companies have any connection or participation in this process of transforming the province into a smart island?
-Yes, local technology companies will play an important role in the digital transformation process. Collaborating with AWS will allow these companies to access advanced technologies and collaborate on innovative projects. This will strengthen the region’s technology industry and promote the development of new solutions and products.
-Will the alliance serve to diversify the island’s productive matrix and link it to the knowledge economy?
-Definitely, the collaboration is designed to diversify the productive matrix of Tierra del Fuego, integrating it more closely with the knowledge economy.
The implementation of advanced technologies and the development of new skills in the workforce will facilitate the creation of new economic opportunities and the attraction of investments in emerging sectors.
-The alliance has as a precedent the digital transformation center opened in 2021 between the provincial government and Amazon Web Services. Will that center remain open? What were your results so far?
-Yes, the digital transformation center will remain open and will continue to be a key component of this collaboration.
Since opening in 2021, the center has implemented training programs in cloud technologies, supported local workforce development, and facilitated the modernization of government services.
These efforts have laid the foundation for a sustained digital transformation in the province. The Tierra del Fuego Innovation Agency is another of our main allies in the province, and with them we plan to take the digital transformation of Tierra del Fuego to the next level.
In addition to the early fire detection project, which is in its initial phases, together with the province’s Innovation Agency we have worked closely on various digital transformation projects, including:
- The transition to a digital bank of the Banco de Tierra del Fuego.
- The implementation of the single digital ballot in several elections.
- Modernization of the provincial health, public works and education systems.
- Talent training and expansion of the production matrix with programs such as AWS Educate and AWS Entrena Argentina.
- Digital identity and “Datalake”: both projects seek to identify the people of Fuegian as the foundation of the province’s digital services and are the basis of the entire smart island project.
-Will Amazon Web Services open its own office in Tierra del Fuego or will it continue the progress of this alliance from its offices in Buenos Aires?
-Currently, AWS will manage the alliance mainly from its offices in Buenos Aires, but will maintain close collaboration with local authorities and organizations in Tierra del Fuego.
The possibility of opening an office in the province will be evaluated based on the needs and growth of the project.
Lorena Zicker.
-Is Amazon Web Services negotiating with other provincial governments in Argentina an alliance similar to that of Tierra del Fuego?
-Yes, AWS is in talks with other provincial governments in Argentina to establish similar collaborations. We focus on improving the citizen experience, bringing digital transformation to provinces such as Buenos Aires, Tierra del Fuego, Jujuy, Mendoza, Salta, Corrientes and Córdoba.
We currently have a presence in 15 of the 24 provinces of Argentina and we want to continue expanding throughout the territory because we believe that innovation positively impacts all the provinces of the country.
The digital transformation of the public sector is essential to develop more and better citizen-centered services.
With technologies and functionalities that support the transformation of the organization, its processes and activities facing citizens, including social services and programs.
We have worked closely with the governments of CABA, Córdoba and Salta to implement different collaborations that bring digital transformation closer, which include: the creation of platforms that gather information from citizens, IoT solutions in security cameras, data collection systems. data-based decisions, municipal and provincial procedure management platforms for citizens, and even free training programs for young people and companies on cloud technologies.
Regarding this last point, I would like to highlight the recent launch of AWS Entrena Argentina, based on a joint collaboration with the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Córdoba, Mendoza, Corrientes and Tierra del Fuego.
This is a massive and free training program that will give students, companies and entrepreneurs access to basic knowledge of cloud technologies, with the aim of contributing to the preparation of the workforce that will support Argentina in accelerating the digital transformation process. and innovation of the country, through alliances with public and private entities in the national territory. AWS Entrena Argentina seeks to train 100,000 Argentines by the end of 2025.
You can read the rest of the interview about this alliance between Amazon Web Services and Tierra del Fuego that I published in iProfesional here.
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