Inga Barisa
Mayor of Riga Mārtiņš Staķis has started a tremendous and long-term transition process for Riga to become a mobile, well-connected and a climate neutral city. Strategically well-balanced digital transformation of the city is playing a major role in this process and the municipality is stepping up the game in every aspect with the main goal to become an intelligent BALTIC digital metropolis. We are working on innovations of city-owned companies, fostering city's support for the creation of 5G infrastructure and development of safe and environmentally friendly mobility.
To ensure a successful digital transformation of the municipality, we will improve the municipal policy planning framework by defining policy results, directions for actions, tasks and key performance indicators in each area of municipal activity. It will be the basis for prioritizing relevant ICT / digital transformation initiatives as city of Riga is developing a new medium-term policy planning digital transformation strategy for 2022-2024. The strategy is synchronized with the development priorities of Riga Development Program 2021–2027 and overall Riga Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 to foresee successful development of technologies and innovations both in Riga municipality and in the city of Riga in general. Implementation of the strategy will be financed via municipal budget investments as well as EU funds.
In order to ensure a systematic digital transformation of the municipality, a new Digital Agency, which will ensure a development and improvement of operational functions was established at the beginning of 2022. In addition, it will offer support and promote the execution of the strategic goals of the municipality by providing innovative, high-quality and secure ICT products and services. A new Digital Agency is especially important in connection with the improvement of general municipal services and implementation of new e-services as well as 2 main challenges we have identified, namely, 1st - Competitive city with an innovative economy and 2nd - Modern and open city.
Challenges foresee:
- improvement of the work, co-operation and co-ordination of municipal institutions and capital companies, making it more efficient by increasing the competence of employees and improving working conditions.
- Facilitate unified communication, access to information and data.
- Increased efficiency of security maintainers.
- Strengthened urban cooperation ecosystems and support innovative business initiatives.
Riga City Digital Agency provides ICT support to municipal institutions, support implementation of the local government's sectoral policies, ensure the local government's digital transformation and development of e-government, as well as provide technological support.
The agency develops and maintains the local government's web portal, ensuring access to the e-services provided by municipal institutions.
The digital agency's tasks also include implementing ICT projects in the area of e-governance and digital transformation, financed with the European Union's funds or other financial instruments.