Document details

Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA): Guatemala

USAID, Digital Frontiers Project (2023), 112 pp.

Contains 23 figures, 16 boxes, 6 tables, acronyms pp. 7-10, glossary pp. 91-95, bibliogr. pp. 105-112

"The Guatemala DECA report presents the findings and recommendations of the Guatemala DECA. It outlines the key aspects of Guatemala’s digital ecosystem and provides nine recommendations for creating a more inclusive, safe, and enabling environment. Guided by USAID/Guatemala priorities: i) partner with the Government of Guatemala and other stakeholders to increase economic prosperity, inclusion, and stability in areas with high irregular migration; ii) partner with the Government of Guatemala and other stakeholders to strengthen effective and accountable governance to improve quality of life and reduce irregular migration; and iii) partner with the Government of Guatemala and other stakeholders to improve justice and security to reduce irregular migration, the DECA process included desk research, consultations with USAID/Guatemala technical offices, 76 key informant interviews with stakeholders from civil society, academia, and the private and public sectors, and five focus group discussions with USAID project participants. Key findings include: Guatemala does not have a central strategy or policy for the digitalization of government services or systems; while Guatemala is home to relatively high network coverage, gaps in internet use remain and innovative solutions face regulatory barriers; the digital divide persists across gender, geography, income, education and literacy, and ethnicity, and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic; digital rights are insufficiently protected and disinformation and harassment are present in the online space; over the last decade, the Government of Guatemala adopted long-term policies to support the development of the digital economy; progress is unclear but data show there has been some impact on financial inclusion; although in its early days, there is unprecedented growth in Guatemala’s startup ecosystem, specifically FinTech." (https://www.usaid.gov/digital-development)
ABOUT THIS ASSESSMENT, 15
DECA FINDINGS, 16
Pillar 1: Digital Infrastructure and Adoption, 16
Pillar 2: Digital Society, Rights, and Governance, 37
Pillar 3: Digital Economy, 51
RECOMMENDATIONS, 71
Recommendations for the International Development Community, 71
Recommendations for the Government of Guatemala, 84
APPENDICES, 88