Participants in Digital Transformation Conference recommend lifting blockade imposed on Syria to be able to achieve digital transformation

Participants in the work of the 3rd  International Conference on Digital Transformation recommended all institutions and joint Arab action bodies to work to break the blockade imposed on Syria to enable it to achieve digital transformation. They called on the regional office of the Arab Federation for E-Commerce in Syria to carry out its activities. They called on government agencies to secure the necessary facilities and overcome the difficulties in order to implement regional office projects that serve Syria in the field of digital transformation.

At the conclusion of the conference, the participants called for strengthening cooperation and exchange of expertise between Syria and the countries and organizations with advanced experiences in the field of digital transformation and broadening the horizon of the digital transformation strategy in government services by networking with ministries and other relevant bodies.

Participants underlined the importance of adopting an encouraging policy aimed at stimulating capital to invest in  start-up companies and technology incubators related to digital transformation and providing the necessary legislation to establish and invest in it.

The participants called for enabling digital integration between the various national sectors in order to achieve access to the implementation of a comprehensive national digital transformation strategy for all sectors. They also called for studying the issue of establishing digital work units within the framework of administrative reform of public sector bodies. They called on the Ministries of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research to adopt a digital policy in education on the basis of all levels.

With regard to legislations and laws, the participants recommended the need to develop legislation related to digital technology companies in the private sector in order to enhance the knowledge economy, and to renew public sector legislation and reconsider it in order to move towards a digital society.

The participants called for the launch of the electronic portal for communications technology indicators and  the licensing of electronic training institutions specialized in the field of technical and vocational training and pre-university education.

With regard to initiatives, studies and projects, the participants recommended the necessity of securing funding sources to implement action plans, initiatives and projects of the comprehensive national digital transformation strategy. 

Participants emphasized the necessity of preparing programs that contribute to spreading digital culture, in coordination between the Ministry of Information and the concerned authorities, enhancing access to fixed and mobile broadband communication services to make them available to all citizens and improve their performance.

Participants called on universities and relevant research centers to carry out social research related to mechanisms of spreading digital culture and mitigating technical phobia. They called on civil society organizations to benefit from researches to organize awareness campaigns about digital culture and the proper use of digital technology in daily life. They also underlined the need that the ministries and relevant institutions have to create funds that support the establishment of digital technology companies and support funding competitions of youth projects that serve digital transformation. 

Participants affirmed the importance of building strategic partnerships between the public and private sectors to achieve success in digital transformation and reach a sustainable economy based on knowledge, competitiveness, experience and diversity. They  reviewed the laws governing the partnership between the two sectors, technology transfer contracts and many international experiences in this field.

In his intervention, Dr. Muhammad Ghazi Al-Jalali said that partnership between the public and private sectors is an attempt to build beneficial relationship between the two parties that would serve the interests of the two sides. The primary goal of this partnership is to obtain better efficiency to manage an economic activity. 

Dr. Shadi Ali, Director of the Participation Office at the Planning and International Cooperation Authority, indicated that participation is useful in reducing transaction costs and distributing risk between the two parties.  At the same time it is a long-term participation and needs intensive study and effort. He considered that the legal framework is a third party that protects the public and private party and is an attractive factor for the investor. It defines the guarantees, rights and duties of both parties.

Dr. Rami Khoury, who has a Master Degree in Business Administration, presented an experience entitled (Digital Transformation in Providing Insurance Services).  He talked about the Vehicle Insurance Claims Recovery Management Program. 

Researcher Ashraf Al-Husseini, Professor at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Damascus, presented a research participation that included building a technical model to support and improve the quality of decision-making in providing medical services to those who deserve it.

He underlined the importance of research in highlighting the impact of technological tools on the quality of administrative decision and developing the quality of sound decision-making in modern management systems.

Inas Abdulkareem