Digitalisation as a driver of modernisation

LuxDev supports digitalisation as a lever for economic inclusion and the creation of opportunities, by strengthening digital governance, cybersecurity and digital skills. Its initiatives, implemented in Togo, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Benin and Rwanda, aim to broaden access to technologies and foster a secure and inclusive digital transformation.

To support an inclusive, secure, ethical and responsible digital transformation, LuxDev implements initiatives aimed at strengthening digital governance and institutional capacity in a variety of contexts.

In Costa Rica, the Digital governance and geospatial data (CONECTA) project advances the modernisation of public services by enhancing online services, system interoperability and access to digital spatial data, while promoting innovation and inclusion. By facilitating the production and use of open geospatial data, it contributes to more informed decision-making in key areas such as climate resilience, disaster risk reduction and food security.

Taking a completely different approach, the Digital Governance project, formulated in 2025, aims to establish a centre of expertise on ethical digital governance in crisis-affected regions. Hosted by the University of Luxembourg’s Institute for Digital Ethics, this centre will play a key role in advancing interdisciplinary research relevant to public policy, supporting capacity building and providing strategic guidance for humanitarian and development actors.

In Benin, where digital development is a government priority, the BeDigital programme supports sustainable and inclusive transformation by strengthening cybersecurity and ensuring that services are accessible to as many people as possible. Targeting primarily the government, women’s entrepreneurship networks and tech start-ups, it contributes not only to the adoption of new technologies and financial inclusion, but also to trust and security in cyberspace.

In response to the growing exposure of Benin’s public administrations and critical infrastructure to cyber threats, BeDigital launched a flagship initiative in 2025 dedicated to building cybersecurity capacity, in partnership with the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity. In February, a study visit to Luxembourg enabled 10 senior officials from the Agence des systèmes d’information et du numérique (ASIN) to engage with leading institutions and analyse proven models of cyber governance and risk management. In April, a cyber drill exercise held in Cotonou strengthened the incident management and crisis decision-making capacities of 52 information systems security managers and legal experts. Another flagship initiative of the year, the ‘100 jeunes filles’ (100 Young Women) project, run in partnership with ASIN and delivered by the École des métiers du numérique (EMN), introduced 131 young women to cybersecurity and offered the top 40 of them a comprehensive training programme comprising 6 months of intensive courses at EMN and 3 months of work placement to facilitate their future integration into the labour market.

As a laureate of the ‘100 Young Girls’ project, Perside Unité Syntiche DEGBE explains how the BeDigital programme enabled her to redirect her path towards her dream career in cybersecurity.

In Rwanda and El Salvador, LuxDev supports projects aimed at integrating digital technology at the heart of training and labour market integration systems to expand their reach.

The Digital skills for quality TVET in Rwanda project addresses the urgent need to modernise the national technical and vocational education and training system by integrating digital technologies into teaching practices. Implemented in partnership with the Rwanda TVET Board, it aims to improve the quality of education through the introduction of blended learning models combining face-to-face, practical and online learning modalities. In 2025, the project trained and supported 85 teachers and 22 school managers in blended learning pedagogy and inclusive digital teaching practices. This capacity-building led to the formal adoption of blended learning as the official mode of teaching in 11 pilot technical secondary schools in September, already benefiting more than 2,100 students and laying the foundations for a replicable model nationwide.

In El Salvador, the Youth employment and digitalisation project supports the labour market integration of young people with limited digital skills, particularly those from vulnerable groups. It combines the roll-out of comprehensive job matching services, the promotion of self-employment in the digital sector, the creation of an innovation lab and the establishment of a digital observatory on employment trends, thereby helping to strengthen the governance of the digital ecosystem and create sustainable economic opportunities.