Zoraima Cuello, director of the National Competitiveness Council, presented the entity's new plan, which she designed to adapt to the digital transformation process and respond to the situation resulting from COVID-19. She also highlighted the importance of Public-Private Partnerships in achieving the country's competitiveness and development.
Job creation, foreign exchange, export promotion, implementation of health-related projects, and human talent development are the projects the National Competitiveness Council will prioritize in the coming months.
During the webinar organized by the ICT Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (AMCHAMDR), Zoraima Cuello stated that the National Competitiveness Plan had to be reanalyzed to adapt to the situation that has occurred in the country and around the world due to COVID-19.
Cuello, who is director of the National Competitiveness Council, called for developing a culture of innovation in companies and adopting a mindset based on digital transformation, since, she says, the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, increased teleworking, and the use of technological platforms.
During his presentation of the "National Competitiveness Plan and its impact on economic recovery," Cuello stated that he will work to remove obstacles affecting the productive chain and support entrepreneurship.
According to the official, the generation of foreign currency and the promotion of exports would be achieved through a pilot program for the joint inspection protocol, the perishables manual, the promotion of hotel coworking spaces, the prioritization of markets and products with export potential, the Air Competitiveness project, and the Amber and Larimar Positioning Strategy (IDB).
Regarding job creation, Competitiveness proposes developing a job relocation strategy, regulating teleworking, launching a domestic tourism promotion campaign, identifying the training and technical development needs of productive sectors, and supporting technology-based ventures.
Improving and simplifying health records, creating a Health Certification program for hotels, promoting telemedicine in hospitals, and developing a comprehensive health record are some of the projects that Competitiveness plans to develop in this area.
Other projects the official mentioned included the Innovation Challenge Pilot, the Free Trade Zone and Local Industry Productive Chains Program, and the implementation of the One-Stop Shop for Construction Permits.
During his participation in the webinar, he emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships, while also praising the support of AMCHAMDR and other productive sectors in strengthening the competitiveness agenda.
Meanwhile, the president of AMCHAMDR's ICT Committee, María Waleska Álvarez, stated that the event was organized to promote collaborative work and a shared agenda for innovation and digital transformation.
Álvarez affirmed that the use and inclusion of technologies in the workplace is not an option; rather, it is necessary to work toward generating synergies and developing collective intelligence to face the challenges presented by this new world order.
Prior to Álvarez's remarks, AMCHAMDR Executive Vice President William Malamud offered a few welcoming remarks and highlighted the importance of digital transformation processes for the organization.
Cuello also answered questions from the audience and the ICT Committee panel, which included the coordinators of the ICT Committee's Digital Economy, Digital Culture, and Cybersecurity Committees, Meiny González, Claudia Chez, and Iban Campo, respectively.
