Technological advances in the 21st century mean that remote island countries like Cook Islands and Niue have seen how business operations and means of communication have changed, new employment opportunities have arisen, and the excess of information on the internet. Under the project for the SIDs Digital Joint Programme in these two countries, the Samoa MCO mission in August focused on policies and strategies to address some of the pathways to be ready in the digital space especially in the context of SIDS with dispersed populations, remoteness, and limited resources available. Extensive consultations and discussions with government and the private and civil society sectors allowed room to identify key thematic areas for digital transformation and provided the opportunity to further gauge national buy-in for Digital Transformation Strategies for both Niue and the Cook Islands. Participants in the workshops reaffirmed the importance of digital tools and technologies for national development and to support their respective organisations and sectors.

There was broad validation of the findings of the Digital Readiness Assessment in Niue, enabling the recommendations to contribute to the roadmap of the eventual National Digital Strategy. Four strategic priorities were identified from zero-draft of this strategy developed earlier in the year: national digital literacy, end-to-end digital infrastructure, governance and leadership, and creating a catalytic environment. As such, the workshop focused on strengthening this document through local input relating to digital activities, priorities, and tackling existing challenges.