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Building technological solutions based on successful initiatives already implemented—remedies that can complement each other while fostering new, scalable, and locally adaptable proposals with a regional approach that promotes cooperation and collaboration among stakeholders—is essential to addressing development challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In this context, RedCLARA plays a key role in facilitating and accelerating the adoption of collaborative and scalable solutions, which promotes digital cooperation in the region. Its high-speed infrastructure, which connects more than 1,700 institutions across Latin America, acts as a bridge between universities, research centers, governments, and technology companies. This fosters knowledge exchange and collaboration, enabling the development of innovative proposals that are not only tailored to local contexts but also scalable and regionally integrated.

“RedCLARA is centered on collaboration, and given the nature of our work, we call it digital collaboration. We firmly believe that the ability to use digital technologies to interconnect and enable collaboration among a vast number of academic and knowledge institutions in the region, linking them with initiatives like AGROS Perú, has an enormous multiplier effect. This initiative makes the knowledge generated in universities and research centers available to communities, society, and development efforts,” emphasized Luis Eliécer Cadenas, Executive Director of RedCLARA, during his participation in the "Civil Society and Key Stakeholders Forum," held on March 26. The forum was part of the inaugural session of the annual meetings of the Board of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and IDB Invest, taking place in Santiago, Chile.

RedCLARA has been present in the region for over 20 years, fostering cooperation with various stakeholders, including IDB Lab, which promotes the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and digitalization, as well as the adoption of more established technologies like blockchain, to enhance key sectors such as education, health, and financial inclusion. This collaboration has significantly impacted the implementation of these technologies. “Initiatives such as issuing digital certificates and managing student identities are improving access to educational resources, while research and innovation greatly benefit from this interconnected network. Collaboration with different stakeholders is bridging innovation with the specific needs of the region's countries,” said RedCLARA’s Executive Director.

Cadenas shared the panel with Robinson López, Director of AGROS Perú, in the session "Innovation and Civil Society," discussing how emerging technologies, including Web3 and blockchain, can be leveraged by civil society organizations to foster sustainable and inclusive growth in the region.

During his presentation, López highlighted how technology has transformed our lives, citing everyday examples such as using Google Maps instead of asking for directions. He also pointed out how simple it is to obtain a digital document today, yet emphasized that this ease is not universal. With 72 million people in rural areas still lacking access to quality internet or digital devices, online transactions become a real challenge. It was precisely this gap that motivated the creation of AGROS Perú— an initiative aimed at bringing technology to rural producers and transforming their reality. “We must continuously work to build this ecosystem. The IDB supports the creation of stronger and broader ecosystems in the region, ensuring that solutions are interoperable and can expand across the territory,” López stated.

For her part, panel moderator Irene Arias, manager of IDB Lab, spoke about how these dialogue spaces help create connections that facilitate the rapid replication and construction of solutions. “The goal is to build upon the achievements of other solutions, ensuring they complement one another, and ultimately leverage the IDB’s role to make these solutions regional in scope and adapted to local contexts while ensuring interoperability.” As an example, she highlighted a recent loan to support farmers in Araucanía, Chile, which could be built upon AGROS Perú’s experience for broader replication. “There are many lessons to be learned" These are the kinds of connections we need,” said Arias.

The annual meetings of the IDB Board of Governors and IDB Invest, the IDB's private sector arm, bring together representatives from the 48 member countries and over 4,000 participants from public, private, and multilateral sectors. This gathering fosters dialogue on major economic and investment challenges at a critical time for designing transformative policies in the region, strengthening collaboration among the IDB, civil society, academia, multilateral organizations, and innovative companies.

Watch dialogues:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cr0DuPr_Ug