Bienvenue aux Nations Unies
For most of this year, the coronavirus outbreak has continued to upend the world we live in. It has shaken our foundations to the core, displayed the fragility of the modern world, and put countries and citizens to the test. What started out as an invisible enemy, 5 million times smaller than a human, has torn away our reality and forced us to accept a new unpredictable normal.
From Serbia, we watched carefully as the virus moved across continents and as leaders around the world struggled to contain its spread. We knew our borders would not be spared, and like others, began to put the restrictions needed in place.
After nearly two months, we were able to lift the state of emergency and cancel the curfew. Though the fight against the virus is not yet over, we were able to prevent a major outbreak inside Serbia. Swift action and international partnerships were key in making this happen, but these achievements were only possible by critical investments made before Covid-19.
Years ago, Serbia turned to innovation to fight stagnation, and has since used the power of technology to improve people’s lives. Through international support and national investments, Serbia has become an emerging tech hub, committed to digitalization and to ensuring a better quality of life for all citizens.
This pandemic proved that the decision to bet on technology and innovation was right, and perhaps never more crucial. Years of investments made us resilient and agile today. They permitted us to diversify our capabilities and allowed for much-needed creativity in a time of crisis. In turn, they enabled us to partner with companies and citizens to address what we saw as three key challenges.
First, we feared alienating communities and had to make sure people were regularly informed. We launched an open data portal to aggregate and display all relevant figures, including number of people tested, and an automatic chatbot on Viber to provide citizens with news and answers. We also created a ‘Digital Solidarity’ portal to provide resources to those stuck at home, and a ‘Be a Volunteer’ platform to coordinate help for older citizens and other at-risk groups.
We then turned towards our children and developed a non-stop education system, broadcasting all classes online and through national TV. To ensure no one was left behind, we formed a coalition with the private sector and quickly provided smart phones, tablets and internet for almost 3,000 disadvantaged students. We also provided full electronic registration of children in preschool through the eGovernment Portal, ensuring enrolment even as kindergartens were temporary closed.
Lastly, we knew more innovation was needed and that our citizens could make an impact. We wanted to find ways to channel their innovation for the common good. We called Serbian SMEs, asking for innovative projects that could be rapidly deployed and scaled up, and provided up to EUR 50,000 for each project selected. Nearly 300 proposals were received, and 12 solutions were selected. This led to the creation of the first Serbian ventilator, the first mask in the world made of durable, white plastic used in the food industry, and a disinfection tunnel for use in public places.
These are just some of the ultrafast innovative solutions that helped position Serbia as one of the OECD’s Observatory of Public Sector Innovation top-productive countries around innovation during Covid-19. Without them, our reality today might have been much different. This virus is still not yet fully understood, but predictably, investment in technology and innovation remain a constant for a rapid and efficient response.
by Ana Brnabic, Prime Minister of Serbia