HBCB’s report on the Sixth Summit of the regional Three Seas Initiative (3SI)
On 8th and 9th of July in Sofia was held the Sixth Summit of the regional Three Seas Initiative (3SI), together with a large-scale business forum.
Host of the international event was the Bulgarian Head of State Rumen Radev. As a guest of this year’s Initiative, invited by H.E. Rumen Radev, was also present the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou.
The event also attended Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Egils Levits, President of the Republic of Latvia, Kersti Kaljulaid, President of the Republic of Estonia, Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland, Borut Pahor, President of the Republic of Slovenia, Karel Havlíček, Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Austria, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Veronika Remišová, Deputy Prime Minister for Investments and Informatization of the Slovak Republic and Gitanas Nausėda President of the Republic of Lithuania.
At the opening of the event a video address by US President Joe Biden was presented. The President of the US reinforced the US commitment to the region.
“There is incredible potential for increasing cooperation and connectivity among this group that will enhance the security and prosperity of the region and quite frankly benefits the world,” he commented.
The leaders at the Initiative Summit and Business Forum agreed to a set of tangible measures, as part of a greater regional digital transformation strategy. More specifically they agreed to (1) build a supportive ecosystem for emerging technologies; (2) develop regional digital infrastructure; (3) identify shared resources to invest in digitalization; (4) and amplify the region’s voice on digital policy matters in the European Union (EU) and the transatlantic relationship.
The above strategic axles were put into place by the below actions that have been/will be performed:
- Map existing hubs and clusters of digital specializations
- Establish a virtual cybersecurity center with a training academy and joint cybersecurity standards
- Launch a public-sector digitalization initiative
- Create a 3SI Digital Ministers Council
- Establish a depository for comparative “lessons learned”
- Identify and invest more in digital projects, ensuring that cross-border projects are on the 3SI agenda
- Assume a proactive role in the debate over EU digital priorities, including working to enhance US engagement with the digital elements of 3SI
HBCB and its members were also present at the event, participating also in the business forum.