The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator is an initiative financed under the Neighborhood, Development & International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI-Global Europe) in the framework of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, focused on fostering multi-stakeholder and private sector collaboration, competitiveness, digital skills and innovation, through the establishment of a regional EU-LAC Digital Accelerator.
The #EULACDigitalAccelerator works as a multi-sided platform connecting business opportunities from corporates with innovative startups and SMEs between the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean. The initiative is formed by 10 organisations distributed in these 2 continents consolidating 1 strong team.
Do you want to know who is involved? Do not miss our ‘Meet the Team’!
Today, we are honoured to count on two colleagues from our partner Expertise France. In this article, you can read below the interview with Mr. Paul Rivière, Digital Project Manager and watch the video of Mrs. Juliette Hirsch, Project Manager with expertise on Digital economy and financial inclusion. Paul and Juliette explain Expertise France’s role in the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator project and how they will contribute to a successful implementation.
Do not miss them!
Hi Paul, could you please share with us your role at Expertise France?
I work in the Digital & Innovation unit at Expertise France. As a digital project manager, my role is to provide expertise in the field of innovation and digital to develop cooperation projects in various areas and implement the activities outlined during the formulation phase, in line with our partners.
We would like to learn more about your organisation. What is Expertise France focused on, and what is your field of expertise?
Expertise France is the French international technical cooperation agency. It recently became part of the AFD group to coordinate French actions in development and cooperation across different themes and regions worldwide. Our field of expertise encompasses sustainable digital development, agriculture, governance, urbanism, cultural industries… Our agents ensure that projects are well-designed in collaboration with our partners, providing expertise throughout the entire project cycle, from formulation to completion.
How does Expertise France contribute to the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator? Could you explain the role you envision playing in this significant project?
The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator aims to strengthen cooperation between digital private entities in the European Union, Latin America, and the Caribbean. As a French organisation collaborating with EU partners, we strive to enhance the connections between our two continents. The project’s focus is broad, and the various open calls throughout its duration will reinforce ecosystems by addressing priority themes for both regions. This knowledge-sharing dynamic is crucial for businesses and cooperation in general. Our role is to identify the stakeholders needs and priorities, to make sure the project and its different phases are relevant. We wish to act as a platform for accessing European data and promote European companies to foster expanded cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean businesses. One of our mandates is also focused on Earth Observation and Spatial data.
Therefore, we aim to promote and offer technical assistance towards an efficient use of Copernicus satellite data to the future stakeholders taking part in the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator.
What are the main activities you are currently working on or planning to work on in the project that excite you the most?
The work we undertake is akin to a large-scale investigation. We mobilise our French and European networks to identify both areas of interest and the companies that will shape future cooperation. Once this phase is complete, our aim is to connect and enhance partnerships and joint-ventures between entities across continents. This aspect is particularly captivating: precisely targeting our actions to achieve concrete partnership results on a private scale, creating a dynamic in the cooperation between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean.
What positive impact do you hope to generate through your participation in the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator?
The positive impact we aim to generate can be categorised into two areas. Firstly, we want to establish and improve lasting relationships between EU and LAC companies. Secondly, we strive to uphold the agency’s social values, which align with the sustainable development goals. Thus, we hope that the themes addressed in the various open calls not only foster sustainable partnerships but also meaningful partnerships, with a genuine focus on priority themes for achieving sustainable development objectives. Innovation and notably digital innovation is key to address specific challenges in the region. We hope our participation in the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator will allow the co-creation of sustainable digital solutions in both areas. Beyond simple partnerships, we seek to infuse a dynamic into the improvement of socio-economic situations for the ultimate beneficiaries.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges to enhancing digital cooperation between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean? What are the keys to solving them?
The challenges lie in market intelligence and understanding each other’s markets. These environments are both distant and different. Even within Latin America and the Caribbean, we observe a wide range of project dynamics, and both regions are vast. However, it is essential to avoid polarisation and rely on strong partnerships between diverse entities. This is where the fundamental aspect of the project comes into perspective: finding common interests that are also global. Hence, the strong connection with the sustainable development goals.
Do you have previous experience managing European projects? What do you find most rewarding about it?
Expertise France brings extensive experience in EU project management, including active involvement in numerous Team Europe initiatives. TEI are particularly stimulating because, just as there may be differences within countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, there can also be differences among European countries. Our responsibility is to bridge these differences and reach an agreement on what matters to advance towards more sustainable cooperation that listens to our partners outside Europe. This work also involves internal collaboration within Europe, where various European partners must work together, bringing their own visions, priorities, and objectives. This is what makes these projects most exciting: orchestrating the implementation of targeted expertise by partners collectively, ensuring that the instruments coordinate and the symphony functions.
In conclusion, how would you describe the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator in one sentence?
A flourishing ecosystem for sustainable digital partnerships across continents.
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