Chairman of Riga City Council, Mārtiņš Staķis, has signed a political declaration, thus joining 95 representatives of the European Union (EU) public administration at the local, regional, national and European level, committing to contribute to a voluntary joint investment plan to promote sustainable digital transformation in the EU.
By signing the declaration, Riga City Council agrees to improve the existing digital solutions on a wider European scale in order to make Riga and its communities smart and sustainable places where people enjoy living and working. The Join, Boost, Sustain initiative is seen as a first step in developing a European approach to digital transformation that differs from that of other global competitors.
M. Staķis emphasises: “We have started significant changes in Riga in order to become a mobile, well-connected, digital and climate-neutral city in the long term. We are currently improving our strategic plans to achieve these goals, so this declaration will serve as a practical guide, as its goals are fully in line with our forthcoming digital transformation agenda. We are already reorganising the work of the municipality, introducing modern and open governance, and it is time to join the European digital revolution that is already taking place in many EU cities. We want Riga to become more competitive in the next few years, so we are ready to make a huge step into digital innovations. For example, we will work on innovations of city-owned companies, think about the city's support for the creation of 5G infrastructure and the development of safe and environmentally friendly mobility. As the Mayor of Riga, I am proud that we are joining the EU's leading force in digital transformation and we will be working to build successful partnerships in order to offer the benefits of digital connectivity to as many residents of Riga as possible. We hope to build new long-term partnerships with other cities to develop projects, including through direct EU funding, using new digital innovation programmes, in particular the Digital Europe programme.”
The City of Riga will continue to work closely with the European Commission's Technologies for Smart Communities Unit (DG CONNECT), implementing its views on technology, data sovereignty, as well as ensuring increased compatibility of digital platforms. It will lead Riga on the path of digital transformation, using the potential of all data and other innovative digital technologies to provide better services for the benefit of the city's residents. The declaration will serve as a great start for the implementation of smart city development with important financial, technical and digital literacy aspects.
The declaration is an initiative of EUROCITIES, ENOLL, OASC, the European Commission, the Finnish Presidency and the EU Committee of the Regions.
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