Dominican Republic recognized with WSIS Prize 2026 for regional digital transformation

Geneva — The Inter-American Digital Government Network (GEALC), currently chaired by the Dominican Republic through the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC), has been honored with the WSIS Prize 2026 in the International and Regional Cooperation category. The distinction, presented during the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026 in Geneva, spotlights GEALC’s role in strengthening regional collaboration, sharing knowledge, and accelerating digital transformation across Latin America and the Caribbean. Dominican Ambassador to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Iván Ogando, accepted the award on behalf of the network.

Under the leadership of OGTIC Director and GEALC president Edgar Batista, the network has advanced practical initiatives that push digital government forward across the region—prioritizing interoperability, public-sector innovation, and sustained collaboration among member states. According to OGTIC, the recognition reaffirms the Dominican Republic’s commitment to international cooperation and a people-centered approach to digital transformation.

The award also reflects the Dominican Republic’s broader efforts to modernize public administration and improve the quality and accessibility of government services through digital tools. By acting as a convener within GEALC, the country has helped foster a platform where governments can exchange strategies, pilot solutions, and scale what works.

What the WSIS recognition underscores

Receiving the WSIS Prize in International and Regional Cooperation signals that GEALC is delivering measurable value through cross-border engagement. The network brings together digital government leaders to align on standards, compare policy approaches, and build capacity—key ingredients for sustainable digital transformation in a region marked by diverse regulatory environments and technological maturity levels.

For the Dominican Republic, chairing GEALC has provided an opportunity to scale its public innovation agenda beyond national borders. The prize affirms that regional coordination—when coupled with concrete projects and shared benchmarks—can accelerate the adoption of secure, inclusive, and efficient digital services.

Focus areas shaping the region’s digital government

Through GEALC, member countries collaborate on best practices and implementation roadmaps across critical domains, including:

• Cybersecurity: strengthening resilience, incident response, and risk management across public institutions.
• Digital identity: expanding trusted, interoperable identity systems that unlock secure access to public services.
• Data protection: promoting responsible data governance aligned with privacy and security principles.
• Electronic signatures: enabling legally recognized, remote-first public services and streamlined transactions.
• Interoperability: connecting government platforms and registries to deliver “one-stop” experiences for citizens and businesses.
• Responsible use of emerging technologies: advancing innovation while safeguarding ethics, transparency, and accountability.

Why it matters for Latin America and the Caribbean

Digital government progress often hinges on shared standards, compatible infrastructure, and sustained knowledge exchange. By convening ministries and agencies across the region, GEALC helps reduce duplication of effort, shortens implementation timelines, and supports evidence-based policymaking. The result is more reliable, user-centered public services—particularly important for citizens who rely on mobile access and for small businesses navigating regulatory processes.

The Dominican Republic’s stewardship of the network has emphasized practical outcomes: from establishing interoperable frameworks that make it easier to verify identities and records across systems, to fostering secure digital channels that improve service continuity and resilience. That orientation toward delivery is central to the prize’s recognition.

A platform for ongoing collaboration

Beyond the honor itself, the WSIS Prize 2026 highlights a path forward: sustained, peer-driven collaboration to raise the baseline for digital governance across the hemisphere. With OGTIC at the helm, GEALC’s agenda continues to focus on capacity building, the dissemination of proven models, and the responsible scaling of technologies that serve people first.

As the region advances on this trajectory, the Dominican Republic’s role—both as a convener and implementer—positions it as a reference point for digital public sector modernization. The WSIS recognition adds momentum to that work, signaling that coordinated, citizen-centered digital transformation is not only possible, but already underway across Latin America and the Caribbean.