Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Cisco Executive Chairman John T. Chambers on Sunday, 20 Sivan signed a declarative memorandum of understandings between the Government of Israel and Cisco regarding cooperation in order to advance digitization in Israel. The memorandum of understandings constitutes a framework for possible research and development with the Government of Israel.

Also attending the meeting were Prime Minister’s Office Director-General Eli Groner, Minister Gila Gamliel, Cisco Global Innovation Officer Guy Diedrich, Cisco Israel Director Oren Sagui, Prime Minister’s Office Deputy Director-General Yossi Katribas, Communications Ministry Director-General Shlomo Filber, Government Information & Computer Technology Authority Director Yair Frank and Digital Israel Bureau Head Yair Schindel.

Possible areas for cooperation between the Government of Israel and Cisco:

* Digital education – Creating smart schools in distant communities including technological infrastructure, teacher training and content development.

* Digital health – Focus on telehealth, genetic research wearable technologies and big data solutions.

* Human capital – Focus on programs for digital leaders and assimilating digital experience and expertise in local authorities and in the government.

* Digital inclusion – Reducing digital gaps and increasing digital accessibility and the supply of training inputs to weaker populations.

* Smart cities – Advancing smart cities mainly in Israel’s geographic and social peripheries.

* Innovation centers – Support for initiatives and innovation in various fields such as GovTech, smart cities, EdTech and digital health via innovation centers, accelerators and greenhouses in Israel.

* Research – Support for various research initiatives that are evaluating the effects of the digital revolution.

* Digital Israel Index – Support for evaluation and measurement tools in the context of the Digital Israel Index.

* Government initiative to maximize rights – The sides are considering the possibility of sharing information and global experience in the field of innovative digital government services including eGov initiatives that are being implemented by various governments around the world.

* Cloud solutions – The Government Information and Computer Technology Authority is seeking to benefit from Cisco’s experience and learn from it vis-à-vis the implementation of cloud solutions for the government by sharing knowledges and best practices from around the world.

* Government plan to accelerate innovation – The sides will consider the possibility of cooperating with the Government Information and Computer Technology Authority in order to create a government plan to accelerate innovation that would encompass Israeli startups in order to harness technologies to improve government services to the public.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo: Kobi Gideon, GPO)