Posted:
26.05.2022 11:20:00
Technology makes life easier
What are the benefits of going digital?
Minsk hosted the 2nd international digital forum #GBC (Government. Business. Citizens). At the dialogue platform of a truly strategic large-scale event, professional experts, heads of government bodies and organisations, representatives of IT companies, banks, businesses, and the social sector discussed new solutions that can improve the efficiency of co-operation between the government, business and citizens.
Scale — numerical and digital
The forum, which started just a year ago for the first time, is already showing a noticeable increase in both quantitative and logical terms. As the Head of the Belarus President Property Management Directorate Valery Ivanov emphasised, today many, including those outside our country, remark upon the huge leap Belarus made in the last few decades to bridge the digital gap between the country and the leading countries of the world, but we cannot stop now,“New time requires new approaches, the use of cutting-edge technologies in accomplishing the complicated tasks we face. As the Head of State noted in his address to the nation and the parliament, the creation of new technologies is a key factor that determines the development of the modern world.”Head of the Operations and Analysis Centre under the President of Belarus Andrei Pavlyuchenko emphasised that the forum held for the first time in 2021 received very good feedback, “We saw that people were interested in it, including our government bodies. This year we are holding this forum in a broader format and have invited more guests. Today we need to meet, discuss the problems, look into the future and try to look beyond the horizon.”
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko,
“ Thanks to the rapid development of digital technology, the world has indeed begun to change very fast. We need to take full advantage of these processes… The digital sector should not only improve people’s life but also increase their wellbeing through highly efficient production.”
During a meeting with the Council of the Ministers, January 13th, 2022
“ Thanks to the rapid development of digital technology, the world has indeed begun to change very fast. We need to take full advantage of these processes… The digital sector should not only improve people’s life but also increase their wellbeing through highly efficient production.”
During a meeting with the Council of the Ministers, January 13th, 2022
Digital monetization
Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB) Pavel Kallaur paid special attention to the fact that the integration of instant payment systems of Belarus and Russia is in a high readiness state. Active joint work is in progress on legislating the possibility of remote transboundary identification of bank clients and the sharing of information about fraudulent schemes.In addition, now, in order to comply with the legislation on preventing the legalisation of proceeds from crime and countering terrorism, activities are being carried out to introduce the use of an ID-card, its details and other biometric documents into banking practice.
Personal account for everyone
Every citizen who is registered in the country automatically has a personal account on the new single portal of electronic services. It is through it that the holder of an ID-card can receive electronic services of the state. In total, more than 180,000 personal accounts have been set up so far (about 100,000 for individuals, and 80,000 for legal entities). In January-April 2022, more than 9,000 personal accounts were independently activated on the new platform.
Technology bridge
Digitalisation has been supported by the Head of State for many years and in many ways, said the Hi-Tech Park Administration Director Vsevolod Yanchevsky at the forum, “Along with the Government, the National Bank, the Communications and Informatisation Ministry, in which many excellent and breakthrough technologies have appeared, the Operations and Analysis Centre under the President of the Republic of Belarus and its enterprises have become the most powerful engine of digitalisation. This was the specificity of Belarus, which brought brilliant results — friendly, well-coordinated work of state structures. Uniting the efforts of private business and the state will bring good results. Together we try to help society move into the future. Digital technologies make our life peaceful, calm and convenient.”Hi-Tech Park Administration Director noted,
“We consider it our most important task to be a technological bridge between the world and Belarus. The best developments of our companies bring profit to the country in the form of exports, and the best world practices and best experience are transferred to us.”
According to the Global Innovation Index 2021, the Republic of Belarus ranked:
— 16th among 132 countries in terms of ‘ICT access’ indicator
— 11th in the world in terms of ‘ICT service exports’ in the total volume of foreign trade
E-dialogue
Belarus has a number of successful government information systems and solutions that enable a comfortable electronic dialogue between all stakeholders — the state, business, and citizens. More than 90% of organisations of the nationwide and local levels — from large industrial enterprises to village schools, with more than 15,000 active subscribers — are connected to the system of interdepartmental electronic document flow of government bodies. This means a fast, legally significant exchange of electronic documents and prompt managerial decision-making.More than 1.2 million electronic digital signature keys have now been issued in the state system for management of public keys for electronic digital signature verification. It should be noted that more than 25 million services for citizens and businesses have been provided through the nationwide automated information system this year, more than 11 million services in April 2022 alone (for comparison: over 17 million services were provided in 2021). This indicates a constantly growing interest of citizens and business entities in digital communication, services online.
The administrative procedures’ registry rap.gov.by has been operational since March 2022, where official information on all business procedures of interest is presented in the most convenient form. In the future, it should be possible to carry out them online.
FORECAST
This opinion is shared by Director of the National Centre for Electronic Services Roman Gradusov, “The modern e-government architecture in Belarus has already been formed. At present, it is more correct to talk about the next stage in the development of e-government. From 2021 to 2025, the main directions for the development of e-government are outlined: services and utilities, personalisation systems, payment instruments, interaction systems, regulatory support, as well as a digital front office. Based on the results of the implementation of the planned activities, it will be possible to talk about the transition to proactive e-government and building a digital state by 2025.”
By Yevgeny Kononovich, Maksim Osipov, Dmitry Umpirovich
