The European Union shares its experience in the digitisation of Justice with the Caribbean

Transparent justice, without delays and fully accessible to vulnerable groups. This is the objective of the European cooperation programme which, through the FIIAPP, mobilises specialists from the Spanish Ministry of Justice and the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) to cooperate with their counterparts from the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. To work together towards this goal, Santo Domingo hosted the seminar “Digital transformation in the Caribbean for a more inclusive justice“, which was supported through the EU-Caribbean Cooperation Facility programme, financed by the European Union.

The seminar was aimed at strengthening digitalisation efforts to promote the exchange of data in the framework of legal cooperation to fight corruption and organised crime more efficiently. It also seeks to implement a methodology through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to optimise the quality of prompt, sustainable and accessible justice for all in the region. This would allow, among other things, for the standardisation of processes to reduce the time taken in judicial procedures.

EU-Caribbean exchange of experiences for a digital and inclusive justice system

Spain and the Dominican Republic cooperate through the FIIAPP, the Spanish cooperation arm specialising in public policy, twinning their justice administrations, which are now putting their learning at the service of the Caribbean community (CARICOM).

The EU Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Katia Afheldt, explained that the Twinning programme in support of the Dominican judiciary has contributed to its digitalisation and to strengthening its Strategic Plan, Vision Justice 2024. He also indicated that the seminar seeks to enhance the opportunities for digital development in this branch of government, which is the general objective of Twinning. “No one can doubt the enormous potential of the digital transition for economic growth and job creation, but it will only be beneficial and sustainable for everyone if the digital divide is reduced and the risks of abuse or manipulation of data are managed, if cybersecurity is guaranteed,” he explained.

The seminar – in which judges, counsellors, diplomats, professors and judicial officials from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Suriname, Cuba, Grenada, Spain, Guyana, Jamaica, Spain, Germany and Dominican Republic participated – has provided a unique opportunity to share experiences and best practices, understanding that a prompt, efficient and close Justice is only possible with the digitisation of this branch of the State.