Deputy Director of Digital Technology at the Mayor's Office of Santiago de Cali

What makes a city smart? This is an excellent question, and unlike what we might imagine, it can also be quite complex to answer and difficult to understand.

It is of paramount importance that ordinary citizens have a clear understanding of the smart city concept so they can demand that their governments embrace this vision for their cities.

If we search on the internet about this definition, we will find multiple information sources with several valid answers. In summary, a smart city is one that uses information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the quality of life of its citizens. This focuses on areas such as mobility, security, health, energy, environment, education, and citizen participation, among others.

However, I want to add that a smart city is not only based on the use of technology to make life easier for its inhabitants but also those that break with the bureaucratic traditions that generate inefficiencies in governments. These cities work on the continuous improvement and transparency of their internal processes, and what is even more important is that they simplify their procedures and services efficiently and effectively, such as simplifying the process of starting a business in their territory.

Latin America is not far behind in the global trend of transforming cities into smart environments. However, we face challenges that are different from developed countries. These challenges are framed by various factors such as the socioeconomic situation, deficient infrastructure, the level of technological development, and other aspects of our region.

 A smart city is one that uses information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the quality of life of its citizens 

Among the multiple challenges we face in Latin America, we found the limited financial resources to invest in smart solutions. In addition, many cities in our region lack the basic infrastructure necessary to implement smart technologies, such as high-speed Internet access or adequate and efficient public transportation systems. It is also crucial to address the digital divide among citizens through education, promoting the understanding and proper use of information technologies. Finally, the challenge of bureaucracy and often rigid legal frameworks cannot be overlooked, making it difficult to quickly implement smart city projects that require collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Despite these challenges, many cities in Latin America are working hard to become smart cities. They have implemented technological solutions such as big data models, artificial intelligence models, Internet of Things, among others.

I had the opportunity to learn about the interest of the government of Ecuador, which is defining a digital transformation route. I also learned about and took note of the initiatives in the cities of Sao Paulo, Jundiaí, and Campinas in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. These cities have developed smart city projects in areas such as mobility, waste management, urban monitoring, and open data. This has made them leaders in the transformation towards smart cities in Brazil.

At this point, it is relevant to mention the case of Santiago de Cali in Colombia, a city that has been a benchmark in Latin America in terms of smart cities. In recent years, Santiago de Cali has worked tirelessly to define itself as a smart city, not only through the implementation of technological solutions but also through the transformation of its government. The city has developed its own smart city model in conjunction with the academy sector, the business sector, activists, entrepreneurs, and citizens. This vision is aligned with the UN sustainable development goals, the new urban agenda, and Colombia's national digital government policy.

In addition to its own smart city model, and with the active participation of all the sectors of society, Santiago de Cali has developed a Public Policy for Science, Technology, and Innovation. Through this policy, the allocation of a budget has been projected to carry out more than forty actions in four strategic axes. The objective is to strengthen the city as an intelligent and future-oriented territory.

Santiago de Cali’s own smart city model has become the foundation for the development of future projects that are already beginning to take shape. Some examples are the intelligent traffic light system, the expansion of free high-speed Internet access zones in urban and rural areas, and the network of digital innovation laboratories that seeks to reduce the digital divide by providing citizens with access to technological tools.

As conclusion, I can say despite the challenges in our region, numerous cities in Latin America are demonstrating that by defining policies that guide their visions towards conversion into smart cities, they can achieve significant progress that undoubtedly improves the quality of life of their inhabitants.