The First Workshop on Smart and Sustainable Cities began on June 15 and will be in session until Friday, June 16, 2023.

This is a workshop to connect the opportunities, visions and initiatives existing in Cuba on the notion of smart city is being held in Havana, convened by the Ministry of Communications and the Union of Computer Scientists of Cuba, with the support of the Articulated Platform for Integral Territorial Development, PADIT, and the United Nations Development Program.

The event will present experiences implemented in Ecuador with the support of the UNDP, as well as the main Cuban initiatives and available regulatory resources. In addition, presentations of Cuban digital initiatives that contribute to sustainable development opportunities will be made.

Smart cities use technology and innovation to improve the urban environment, promote a better quality of life and sustainability, and encourage citizen participation.

The use of data to manage resources more efficiently and automatically, accelerate and optimize decision-making and services, protect vulnerable people, connect solutions and initiatives; these are some of the actions with which these innovative actions can impact the life of society.

The actions are part of the work of the Cuban Ministry of Communications and the Union of Computer Scientists, in its role of promoting policies and strategies for the development, evolution and use of information and communication technologies.

The Articulated Platform for Integral Territorial Development, PADIT, is a platform of actors and resources based on Cuba's public policy for territorial development, which supports the strengthening of management and institutions at the municipal, provincial and national levels, promotes financing and encourages the implementation of integral development initiatives at the local level.

PADIT, with the support of UNDP, has supported various initiatives on digital transformation such as the Digital Government Guide for Cuban municipalities and 10 pilot solutions for digitization of services under development in different provinces of the country. These actions are carried out with the contribution of Swiss and Italian cooperation with the country.

Innovation and digital transformation have been identified by the UNDP in Cuba as two catalytic axes of efforts towards sustainable and inclusive development, in the framework of the 50th anniversary of the collaboration of this organization with Cuba.

The smart cities workshop aims to articulate these innovative digital solutions according to Cuba's strategic priorities for sustainable development, as expressed in the 2030 Economic and Social Development Plan.