Smart Cities

Background

This Partnership consists of two key points. On the one hand, the potential of CIVES Solutions, Austria, is particularly worth highlighting (as a leading entity in the field of smart city development and in the permanent dialogue between cities in Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean), along with the valuable applied experience of the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de Córdoba, Argentina (Ministry of Science and Technology of Córdoba) (as a local entity in the process of implementing a smart city model, currently in force in 35 municipalities, with the development of its own tools and the framework of the Córdoba Smart Cities Node; a space that fosters the link between the public, private and academic sectors to support the development of smart cities in all the localities of the Province of Córdoba).

On the other hand, with a practical approach and a spirit of experimentation, the Partnership brought together several sub-national public entities from different countries, as well as municipal coordination platforms with previously established bilateral relationships: the Municipio de Río Negro (Municipality of Río Negro, Colombia), Alcaldía de Punta del Este (Punta del Este City Council, Uruguay), Intendencia Departamental de Maldonado (Departmental Government of Maldonado, Uruguay), Mancomunidad de Municipios Metrópoli de Los Altos (Association of Municipalities of the Los Altos Metropolis, Guatemala), and the Instituto de Fomento y Asesoría Municipal de Costa Rica (Institute of Municipal Development and Assistance of Costa Rica).

These entities were joined by private institutions and academia in order to provide the Partnership with specific, highly specialised knowledge: Fundación para la gestión y el desarrollo de Colombia (Foundation for the Management and Development of Colombia, focused on entrepreneurship and innovation), Universidad Fundepos (specialising in senior leadership, management and applied research), Calinter of Mexico (international certificate in sustainability) and Pacific Tree of Costa Rica (logistics).

Entities and roles

First provider entities

Second provider entities

Cives Solutions Logo
Cives Solutions

Austria

Development challenges

Through this Triangular Cooperation Initiative, several sub-national public entities and municipal coordination platforms from different Latin American countries were able to benefit from the knowledge and experience of CIVES Solutions and the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de Córdoba in the field of smart city development, as a contribution to the challenge of urban planning for sustainable development.

In this Initiative, the roles within Triangular Cooperation were well-defined from the start. However, applying the knowledge from CIVES Solutions and harnessing the experience and tools of the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de Córdoba in environments as different yet complementary as Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Uruguay provided a test bed, which resulted in a strong added value for all. Each of the activities was designed based on this approach, in each case developing specific products aimed at capturing this added value to enhance the work of the Partnership.

One important value-added outcome of this Initiative was the establishment of a stable network or platform of European and Latin American and Caribbean entities engaged in sub-national development and committed to the smart cities transformation.

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative strengthened the capabilities of the Partnership member entities and provided the tools to design, apply and evaluate strategic municipal plans under the Smart Cities model, ensuring a comprehensive vision of planning, based on the motivation and commitment of the teams in the municipalities or local entities, and with the aim of engaging all stakeholders throughout the entire process.

Triangular approach

There is a strong consensus that SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) is a key element for the success of the 2030 Agenda. It is within cities that the goals of the 2030 Agenda converge, affecting the lives of all citizens, for which it is essential to create an enabling environment in cities in order to achieve the goals through a sustainable development approach.

This Initiative successfully created a network that aims to harness the knowledge and experience of both European and Latin American entities in the design and implementation of smart city models (multidimensional, multilevel and multi-actor, properly identified and aligned with local capacities, and benefiting from information and communication technologies), with the conviction that this is the most effective path towards achieving sustainable cities and communities.

Sectoral approach - Contribution to the 2030 Agenda

Primary SDG

Goal 11.3 By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries

Goal 11.A Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning

Secondary SDG

Goal 8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

ADELANTE SDG

Goal 10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard

Goal 17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism

Territorial approach

Intervention methodology

This Initiative was developed to raise awareness and generate knowledge among sub-national entities about the challenge of smart cities, as well as the importance of sustainable planning and management strategies.

To this end, a four-step itinerary was defined: a) raising awareness among municipal teams, b) training geared towards assessment and strategic planning, c) real-time knowledge of a tried and tested planning tool, and d) management-oriented training.

The following activities were carried out as part of this itinerary:

The first key activity of this Initiative was an online course on assessment methodologies, strategic planning and management of smart and sustainable cities, which touched on the main aspects of this subject: the human factor, open government, coexistence and security, information technologies, data use and analysis, technology enablers, smart systems for citizen services, public services, infrastructure, mobility, energy and smart grids, urban sustainability, triple impact, the role of stakeholders in the sustainable transformation, compliance and rights, smart city models and references, best practices and progress in Latin America and the Caribbean, among other topics.

In addition to the traditional classroom format, there were also 'best practice workshops' in which all Partnership entities were invited to share their experience and challenges, encouraging active participation by all and fostering the triangulation of knowledge and experience.

Within the framework of the course, participation in the LATAM International Smart Cities Fair was encouraged, in which the Partnership led a panel entitled 'Triangular Cooperation for the development of smart and sustainable cities in Latin America'.

The course was complemented by a consultancy, in which a group of professionals supported and accompanied the Partnership entities in testing and applying the municipal assessment and planning tool that had already been tested and made available by the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de Córdoba, which included everything from the identification, selection and initial loading of relevant data to the development of indicators and monitoring systems for the planned processes. The consultancy ended with a systematisation of lessons learnt in each of the contexts, with the aim of improving and adapting the tool and enabling its use beyond what was initially planned.

This activity resulted in the most valuable products generated by the Initiative for the Beneficiary entities. The outputs included a comprehensive diagnosis of each of the Beneficiary entities, together with a roadmap and specific individualised recommendations. In this regard, it will be interesting to observe the degree of ownership and implementation by these Beneficiary entities in the joint ex-post analysis exercises.

Towards the end of the Initiative, a study visit was made to the city of Vienna, a world leader in this field, in order to gain first-hand knowledge of the experiences of the public and private entities that have led this city to become a model smart city, thus linking the concept of planning with that of sustainable municipal management.

This activity was preceded by a workshop in order to introduce the participants of the study visit to the current state of affairs of the city of Vienna. The workshop consisted of 4 lectures given by European experts on the topics, in which Vienna was presented as a benchmark for topics such as 'food security in the smart era', 'smart public policies for security and coexistence', 'more humane and environmentally friendly mobility', and 'smart mobility'.

As the only face-to-face event featured in the Initiative, the study visit not only met the participants’ expectations but also featured enriching content, as well as defining the framework for long-term collaboration between the entities of this Partnership and the establishment of more extensive networks in the future.

During the visit, a specific consultancy was carried out, in which various leading professionals accompanied and supported the participants, both in the visits to the participating entities and in the specially designed training and reflection activities.

Direct beneficiaries (individuals)

According to Rule 9 of the Guidelines for Applicants: all persons participating in the activities of the Initiative.

There were 40 direct beneficiaries in the Initiative, the majority of whom were officials from sub-national public entities and municipal coordination platforms in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Uruguay.

This figure includes professionals and civil servants from CIVES Solutions and the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de Córdoba, as well as from the other collaborating entities, as they were actively involved in all of the activities. As in all knowledge triangulation schemes, this led to them benefiting from the insights derived from applying their models in other environments.

Also worth highlighting is the strong impact of the study visit in terms of applied knowledge for the 13 officials and professionals who participated.

With regard to the professionals of the Instituto de Fomento y Asesoría Municipal de Costa Rica, their participation will have a strong multiplier effect, since capacity building in the entity will foster the application of the model in other municipalities in the country.

Budget

EU contribution: 73,242.25 €

Co-financing - Triangular Cooperation Partnership: 24,678.61 €

Total budget: 97,920.86 €

The information gathered in this IMPACT section is the result of the first 'joint ex post analysis exercise' of the Initiative which, as foreseen in the policy framework of the ADELANTE Window, took place one year after the end of the implementation period.

For more information on these exercises, please consult the ADELANTE Window 2021 Impact Report.

Continuity of the Partnership

STARTING POINT: Existing North-South relationship that extended its scope to more Beneficiaries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Partnership, as such, has not been consolidated and has not been maintained over time.

However, some of the Partnership member entities continue to engage in bilateral collaboration in the core areas of the Initiative and have formalised their frameworks for collaboration.

In addition, thanks to the knowledge generated in the framework of the Initiative, some of these entities have initiated bilateral relationships as knowledge providers with other entities.

Agreement between MINCYT (Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Argentina) and the Government of Uruguay for cooperation in the field of cybersecurity.

Application of generated knowledge

The knowledge generated has been applied by some of the Beneficiary entities.

They have also been applied by third entities with similar challenges, benefiting from the expertise offered by some of the Partnership member entities.

Creation of Smart Tourism Destinations in cities in Costa Rica and Uruguay.

In parallel, processes have been initiated for outreach beyond the scope of the Partnership and the third-party entities.

Agreement between the Catholic University of Córdoba and the Technological Institute of Costa Rica to develop an international course on Smart Tourism.

Impact

Applying the generated knowledge has enabled the Beneficiary entity to successfully tackle the development challenge that gave rise to the Initiative with the necessary quality and guarantees.

FACTORS THAT HAVE ENABLED THE IMPACT:

The similarities in characteristics and level of development of the local entities of the Partnership.

The identification of specific ‘sub-topics’ of shared interest, such as tourism.

FACTORS THAT HAVE HINDERED IMPACT:

The change in focal points in some of the Partnership member entities.

Future perspectives

Maintain bilateral relations between the different Partnership member entities.

Keep up the momentum of applying the knowledge generated by some of the Beneficiary entities.

Maintain the communication and visibility dynamics associated with the ADELANTE Window as a guarantee of quality.

 


NEW EX POST EXERCISE:

Yes (2024)

 

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