Kyiv, 28 March 2023 – A Chief Digital Transformation Officer or CDTO forum held in Kyiv brought together 70 officials from all over the country to discuss issues of digital development, digital transformations and digitalization of Ukrainian ministries and regional state administrations.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, together with the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine, and with the financial support of the governments of Japan and Sweden via the DIA Support project.

During the forum, the participants discussed: the role of open data in the activities of CDTOs, implementation tools for CDTOs, the development of registers, and tools for the convenient creation of registers. A discussion was held between CDTOs. These officers were also taught how to raise financing for digital projects from international partners. The heads of most divisions of the Ministry of Digital Transformation gave CDTOs many tasks. 

During the full-scale war, designated deputies responsible for the implementation of digitization are performing extremely important tasks, the first of which is to implement those digital solutions that will help Ukrainians use government services online, without having to stand in lines and doing unnecessary paperwork. 

Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister for Innovations and the Development of Education, Science and Technologies and Minister of Digital Transformation spoke about digitalization strategies for 2023 that need to be implemented by consolidating efforts. He noted that each CDTO is an effective innovator who can significantly influence the country’s digitalization as a whole. 

“CDTOs have an important role to play in speeding up the country’s digital transformation,” Fedorov said. “The efforts of CDTOs make it possible to reach out to every aspect of the country’s life with digitalization, implement digital projects in regions, and launch new services in Diia. These are effective managers, who are also engaged in the implementation of innovations and the optimization of processes in various authorities by using digital tools. Currently, there are 17 CDTOs in ministries, 21 CDTOs in central government, and 16 CDTOs in regional military administrations. We aim to have CDTOs in all government authorities and digital leaders in all territorial communities.”

Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Ukraine Resident Representative, said UNDP was a long-term and close partner of the Ukrainian government in supporting the public administration in the country, and that the agency systematically supports the government in implementing initiatives aimed at improving the competencies of Ukrainian civil servants at all levels, and in all branches of government.

“Establishing interaction between state bodies at different levels is one component of the successful implementation of national programmes,” Cilliers said. “This forum for CDTOs, organized with the strategic support of Japan and Sweden, was an opportunity to strengthen cooperation on issues of digitalization up and down the entire vertical of executive power. It was a contribution to successfully implementing digital transformation projects throughout the country.”

The digital development specialists also examined the results of an analysis of the Digital Transformation Index for Ukrainian regions. Additionally, they joined in a discussion about how to be not just project managers of their departments, but part of the architecture of change as a whole.

“The digital transformation of regions is an important component of our work in the Ministry of Digital Transformation,”said Valeriya Ionan, Deputy Minister for European Integration, Ministry of Digital Transformation. “We cooperate with representatives of various government branches, because we want the projects of the Ministry of Digital Transformation to be implemented on the ground. We’re launching cross-sectoral projects aimed at solving the problems faced by Ukrainians. Digital transformation in regions has a great impact on the country’s development as a whole. That’s why we’re making efforts to effectively implement digital transformation in all regions.”

Background Information

A CDTO is a deputy head in a government body who is charged with implementing digitalization. This is a relatively new position in the government, which was set up in Ukraine in 2020, a year after the Ministry of Digital Transformation was established. 

CDTOs in ministries draw up digital transformation strategies, implement digital technologies, develop and implement information systems, and manage projects.

Regional CDTOs are responsible for the development of basic infrastructure, the introduction of electronic services, the implementation of sector-specific digital projects, as well as for making management easier, through using dashboards, digitalizing registers, launching electronic flows of documents, and so on.

Media inquiries

Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Communications Team Leader, yuliia.samus@undp.org