Last week Skopje hosted the Digital Summit of Western Balkan countries, organized by Initiative WB6, where the results of the study “The Effect of Digital Transformation in the Western Balkans” were presented. This first study clearly focuses on digitization in the Western Balkan countries, and provides clear analysis of the potential for their mutual cooperation, an analysis of the degree of digitization of each of the countries involved, and recommendations for concrete national policies to be implemented.
The study was initiated by Deutsche Telekom, with the East European Economic Relations Committee of the German economy and the German Federal Government, and the study includes other partners and telecom operators.
The most important results of the study show that a common digital strategy in WB6 countries would accelerate EU integration efforts, including a faster change in the field of rule of law, encourage modernization of administration and society, and help create an effective market structure in the region.
Regional cooperation is an important pillar for a successful and sustainable digital transformation, which would strengthen democracy, stimulate economic progress and create an open society in the region. Increasing the digitization index by 10% leads to GDP growth of up to 1%, which in combination with private investments in infrastructure represents a great opportunity for Western Balkan countries and citizens to increase competitiveness, prosperity, more intense regional economic cooperation and better public services.
The Summit in Skopje was conceived as a permanent platform for supporting the Western Balkans’ digital cooperation in digital transformation in order to accelerate economic progress and EU integration.
