Within the framework of the Ibero-American Summit, representatives from the region's countries will seek to establish cooperation mechanisms that protect people's rights, reduce digital divides, and leverage digitalization opportunities. The meeting will take place at the Real Fábrica de Moneda y Timbre in Madrid under the slogan ‘Ibero-America. Together we build our Community. Together we project it towards the future and the world’.
The event, preceded by the Ibero-American Digital Forum featuring global leaders in AI, digital rights, cybersecurity, and digital governance, will be held on the eve of the XXX Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government on November 4th and 5th. The recent creation of ministries and agencies dedicated to digital transformation explains why this is the first ministerial meeting on the subject.
In Madrid, the launch of an Ibero-American alliance on artificial intelligence will be debated to strengthen the region's digital and cultural sovereignty and build a common agenda. The aim is to agree on a shared vision for the social, economic, and institutional transformation brought about by technologies like AI and computing, addressing both their opportunities in sectors such as health and education, and their challenges in rights, sustainability, inclusion, security, and privacy.
Cooperation formulas will be explored for developing use cases based on AI models in regional languages, secure data sharing for AI system development, and access to computing capabilities for AI project development. The goal is to lay the groundwork for policies that place the development and use of AI at the service of humanity, respect for human rights, and fundamental freedoms, contributing to a responsible, secure, and people-centered digital transformation.
This meeting continues the effort by Spain and the Ibero-American Community to develop a third technological path towards an innovative, competitive, ethical, and secure AI ecosystem. In 2021, the XXVII Ibero-American Summit mandated the promotion of a joint Ibero-American Digital Agenda, and at the Dominican Republic Summit, the Ibero-American Charter of Principles and Rights in Digital Environments was approved, inspired by Spain's Charter of Digital Rights.
The Ibero-American Digital Forum, preceding the ministerial meeting, will serve as a platform for ideas and proposals. It will feature four panels and four presentations addressing key issues related to digital transformation in the current geopolitical moment: digital rights and child protection, connectivity, cybersecurity and critical infrastructures, digital administration, and the development of sovereign and trustworthy AI.
