First ReSPA Western Balkan online collaboration platform to support region in overcoming Covid-19 pandemic crisis

ReSPA has organized a Zoom meeting on 16 April 2020, in regards to helping WB countries cope better amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of the meeting was to establish an online collaboration platform that will support WB digital service teams, and even multidisciplinary teams to detect and overcome key challenges. 
During the meeting, more than 40 senior civil servant professionals from the WB countries highlighted the most important issues in their countries that need to be addressed.
Some of the key issues were framed around the response of the Governments to the extraordinary situation caused by COVID-19: development of an online platform for the online studying, digitalization of the issuing isolation certificate to citizens at crossing border during the crisis, digitalization of the process of distribution bilateral transport permits to freight carriers, organizing the development of a new dedicated website for communicating the public about the Covid-19 crisis, modalities of teleworking i.e. working from home, relying on open data while making a strategic and operational decision in public administration, optimization of existing one stop shop services in order to include all current clients’ needs, etc. 

Affinity mapping of the key challenges among WB countries
Discussing similarities vs. differences within WB countries related to growing needs and still present a significant number of completely unknown areas caused by the current situation, attendees jointly concluded that they are facing almost the same challenges. They decided to put in place common priorities that need to be overcome. 
In upcoming days, ReSPA will highlight the most important common challenges for all of the WB countries and will propose mechanisms of support provided with its partners (such as CHHS) and experts engaged.

EU and USA experiences in crisis management as a guideline for WB countries

Boris Koprivnikar, Senior eGovernment expert gave a brief overview of identified challenges by giving an insight into Slovenian experience followed by evidence-based suggestions. 
He underlined the importance of supporting distant work and learning with strengthening existing systems and support decision making and disease monitoring with data gathering but with special attention to personal data: “Now we have an opportunity to demonstrate how important and useful are digital systems and boost up their use, so we have to strengthen and upgrade existing systems also for future use. Building trust in eServices and carefully managing personal data according to GDPR directive is an investment in digital development”. 

Tamara Srzentić, Deputy Director, Office of innovation, California Health and Human Service agency (CHHS) shared her personal experience as a part of the team who developed Coronavirus response website in California / USA. 
She presented some of the valuable practices work related and how specific forms of (digitalized) services may be used for monitoring of the virus spread (different apps), for online provision of support to unemployed/vulnerable groups and as well as for psychological support to different stakeholders. 
“I am aware that this online platform will be connecting tissue for all of us to share experience from each other’s and also to offer some valuable best practices that may be replicated.  

ReSPA's support to public services digitalization as a solution to move forward WB countries during the Covid-19 pandemic and in a post-virus world

The COVID-19 global pandemic largely impacts the way we live and work. Now more than ever it is obvious that digital transformation is essential in order to recover and move forward. Only those economies that adjusted their digital technology and communication can cope through the crisis, recover fast after it’s done, and make visible progress in the years that come.
“Being aware of the importance of the digitalization of public services, ReSPA will provide a different form for intervention to support WB countries in order to overcome detected challenges, by organizing webinars, mentoring and coaching sessions, online working group meetings, in-country support, and peer-to-peer learning. This very first kick-off meeting gave a lot of food for thoughts which will enable ReSPA Secretariat to make the decision for the follow-up activities in a holistic and inclusive manner,” said Goran Paštrović, ReSPA Programme Manager, at the end of the meeting.