Beyond the Mainstream
[ The bits they'd rather you didn't know ]
Ukraine: a digital blueprint for the world?
Digital Transformation in Ukraine: Before, During, and After the War
This article, written by Valeriya Ionan, Deputy Minister for Eurointegration for the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, outlines the process of digital transformation in Ukraine.
She begins by telling us that the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine was created in 2019, to implement the “state in smartphone” project which was announced by President Zelenskyy. The vision of the Ministry is to build the most convenient digital state in the world without bureaucracy, absolutely paperless, and without the need to visit government offices. The big idea is that the state should work quickly, conveniently, and with a few clicks like Uber, Booking, or Airbnb.
The recovery plan for Ukraine includes, under Recovery Fundamentals, 'The Digital State'.
One of the things that EU4Digital supports is 'the harmonisation of digital frameworks across society in areas ranging from logistics to health'. Just so we're clear, that's stapling you to your smartphone and introducing vaccine passports.
With Diia, Ukraine became the first country in the world to have digital smartphone passports that are full legal analogues of ordinary documents.
UKRAINE’S GOALS BY 2030:
A CASHLESS AI-CONTROLLED SOCIETY
Interestingly, the URC23 website opens with the statement that this conference was a continuation of the cycle of meetings beginning in London in 2017 as the Ukraine Reform Conference. Support for strengthening and regenerating Ukraine has been coming from the UK and beyond since way before the war began.
URC 2023 raised over $60 billion towards Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction. This includes the UK’s updated commitments of a further $3 billion of guarantees to unlock World Bank lending to Ukraine and £240 million in bilateral assistance.
See the UK's package of support that was announced at URC 2022.