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IV. Challenges and Conclusions
At present the countries of the region are working on digital inclusion projects that will shortly allow
to narrow the existing digital divide. Educational projects supported on computers for students,
spots to access to broad band, accessibility policies, impact of social networks present in the digital
agendas of our countries, are showing a real fact: more people connected, more services provided on
the Internet, increased need to ensure individuals identification in electronic means.
To comply with these recommendations of Lisbon Declaration, tending to attain “a more open,
transparent and collaborative Administration model, that allow effectively responding to the
economic, social, cultural and environmental challenges posed at worldwide level”, the signatory
countries consider that “the development of accurate identification and authentication mechanisms,
is another condition for the intended change, highlighting its role in promoting the simplification of
procedures and fostering the use of electronic services.”
In this sense, the present document contains a description of the issues involved in electronic identification
processes and its relevance for citizens’ full exercise of their rights. The biometric technologies involved
have been briefly described, specially those related to the electronic identity document.
The difficulties for its implementation are not related to the technology itself, as they have a high
degree of development. They are neither related to the existence of international standards, which
have been developed and accepted. As any project that implies implementing ICT technologies in the
State administrative management, these projects are focused on the building of a biometric database
or replacing current identity documents by the electronic ones, facing the same risk factors as any
other cross-cutting technological project.
The challenges faced by our countries at the moment of implementing technological projects in the
public sector in order to develop E-Government 4 , are not related so much to the scarce of resources,
or an insufficient infrastructure, or a lack of professionals, but to the lack of coordination between
public agencies. In effect, the efforts performed by governments not many times attain the expected
results, not for the lack of resources but because different agencies carry out projects in a non
coordinated manner, what generates water-tight compartments.
It is clear that the attainment of successful results in the implementation of technological projects
in public management requires an adequate planning, and monitoring and evaluation shall go in hand
with their development. But this is not enough to ensure the project’s success, moreover those where
various agencies are involved, i.e. cross-cutting projects in the Administration. A key element is the
role of policy makers, especially those that participate in the processes of definition of public polices
related to the use of technologies in the Administration or to State Modernization.
“Leadership” is the most important success factor in the design and implementation of electronic
strategies. If there is no decisive leadership it will not be possible to overcome the resistances to
change that naturally implies the modification of the work modes derived from the incorporation of
ICTs in public management.
3 Available at http://www.mercosur.int/msweb/Normas/normas_web/Resoluciones/ES/GMC_2006_RES-037_ES_EficaciaFirma
Digital.pdf
4 Este documento adopta la definición de “gobierno electrónico”, como sinónimo de “administración electrónica”, contenida en la
Carta Iberoamericana de Gobierno Electrónico, 2007. La Carta de Pucón entiende por tal al “uso de las TIC en los órganos de la Ad
ministración para mejorar la información y los servicios ofrecidos a los ciudadanos, orientar la eficacia y eficiencia de la gestión
pública e incrementar sustantivamente la transparencia del sector público y la participación de los ciudadanos.”
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