Davos’ World Economic Forum to Promote Govtech in Berlin

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is based in Switzerland and famously meets up in Davos, though the international NGO representing the interests of multinational corporations likes to convene in various regions of the world. Now the Berlin Senate office has announced that the WEF has chosen Berlin as the location in which to open its first ‘center’ within the EU. Interestingly, this is to be a center for govtech. Govtech is a term used to describe efforts to modernize the public sector, making it more citizen-centric by means of the digital transformation in ‘whole of government’ activities of ministries, public administration, and public agencies. This new WEF center is to be based at GovTech Campus Germany, a project launched by the German federal government to advance the digitization of public administration by acting as a platform for collaboration between government, business, and technology companies. Chief Digital Officer and State Secretary for Digital Affairs and Administrative Modernization of the State of Berlin Martina Klement says, “The close cooperation between GovTech Campus Germany and the World Economic Forum has the potential to accelerate innovation in government technology and establish Berlin as a major govtech hub in Europe.” Further details are to be presented at the next World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2024.