The director of State and Government of the Center for the Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth (CIPPEC), Mauro Solano, This week he made a presentation at the Buenos Aires City Legislature on the digital transformation of the State. He did so within the framework of the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Federal Council for Transparency. He spoke about this topic with Diario RÍO NEGRO.
QUESTION: How does the low efficiency of the Argentine State affect the country’s economy and the lives of its population?
ANSWER: First of all, it should be made clear that there is no such thing as “the Argentine State” since it is not a monolithic or homogeneous entity. In a federal country we have the national State, the 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, and more than 2,300 local governments. Even within each of these States there are some agencies that are islands of excellence, very effective, even very innovative. However, of course there are things that do not work, and that leaves a lot of room for improvement, especially for digital transformation, and positive effects could be seen quickly: a simulation carried out by the National University of the South showed that, from a maximum of 210 minutes of time invested for the face-to-face delivery of information in a government agency, it could be reduced to 23 minutes if digital services were used.
Q: A large state and an efficient state. Are they mutually exclusive?
A: Not necessarily. There are international examples of States that could be considered “large” (in relation to the number of public employees in relation to the total population), but with excellent benefits: Denmark and Norway have around 16% of their total population employed by the State, according to ILO data. In Argentina, this proportion reaches 8%. On the other hand, it must be clarified that 60% of total public employment is made up of teachers, health professionals and security forces. The issue to be resolved is how we achieve a State with greater capacities, which can efficiently solve citizen demands. Argentina can improve in relation to the quality of public services, of the civil service. In the “government effectiveness” dimension of the World Bank’s governance indicators, we are below the “middle of the table”: in 2022 it had a result of 41.98 on a scale of countries that goes from 0 (the worst placed) to 100 (the one with the best results).
There are international examples of States that could be considered “large”, but with excellent services.
Mauro Solano, Director of State and Government at CIPPEC.
Q: It turned out that President Milei is studying applying artificial intelligence in the State. What basic conditions are required to start digital transformation?
A: Digital public transformation involves not only the adoption of technologies, but also profound cultural and organizational changes. We could mention five main axes to achieve this transformation: data governance, e-government and inclusive public services, skills and capabilities of public employment, cybersecurity and digital privacy, and an accessible digital infrastructure. To ensure the path towards a Smart State, it is necessary to promote digital inclusion, guarantee the protection of personal data and strengthen training and skills updating for public officials. In addition, it is important to encourage collaboration between the public, private, academic and scientific-technological sectors to take full advantage of the potential of cutting-edge technologies in the delivery of more and better public services and goods.
Q: Would a digital transformation of the State in Argentina and its greater efficiency be accompanied by a decline in public employment?
A: The reorientation and updating of the capabilities and competencies of public employees will be required, and perhaps also a process of retraining and job reconversion. More than specific effects on quantities, in the short term, staff and replacements must be planned taking into account the need to have new profiles, such as data specialists, prompt engineersmachine learning experts and evidence-based policy analysts. Training and professional development programmes need to be designed and implemented to enable agents to work effectively with new technologies and address their challenges. This includes advanced digital skills as well as soft skills such as creativity, teamwork and active listening.
Digital public transformation involves not only the adoption of technologies, but also profound cultural and organizational changes.
Mauro Solano, director of State and Government of CIPPEC.
Q: The RIGI covers the technology sector. Is it an important element in moving towards the digital transformation of the State, considering that significant investments are required?
A: We are facing a unique opportunity to strengthen state capacities and improve the quality of life of citizens. Argentina has some advantages that make this alternative possible and real. According to recent OECD and CAF reports, we have a significant level of start ups technological technologies, as well as digital talent, high digital skills among the population, and an important potential for innovation leveraged in good use of GovTech locally. However, we must urgently address some challenges. A significant investment is required in technological infrastructure, development of digital talent and a culture of innovation and collaboration in public administrations, encouraging the participation of citizens and the private sector in the design and implementation of digital policies. Ethical and regulatory challenges must also be addressed that guarantee the protection of privacy, transparency and accountability in the use of algorithms and data.
Q: In which sectors of the State is digital transformation most urgent?
A: Cutting-edge technologies offer opportunities for the provision of public services more efficiently and effectively. For example, in the health sector, artificial intelligence can be used to improve diagnosis, optimize the management of scarce human and infrastructure resources available to the system, and even in the field of education, where it can help reduce learning gaps and improve quality. In Argentina, the use of artificial intelligence can help reduce learning gaps and improve quality. chatbots based on artificial intelligence has spread, even in the State, where they are used to provide information about procedures and services, answer frequently asked questions and help navigate government websites (Boti from CABA, or Tina, from the National Government). This allows for more efficient service and alleviates the workload of many public agents, freeing them to carry out more complex and specialized tasks.
We have a unique opportunity to strengthen state capabilities and improve the quality of life of citizens.
Mauro Solano, Director of State and Government at CIPPEC.
PROFILE
Mauro Solano
– He graduated with a degree in political science and international relations from the Catholic University of La Plata.
– Doctoral student in political science at the National University of San Martín (thesis in progress).
– He was General Director of Planning and Quality Management in the Government of the Province of Buenos Aires.
– He is director of State and Government of the Center for the Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth (CIPPEC)
