OECD helping Mexico to train digital professionals

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has been helping Mexico to train professionals in the digital economy, the country's Under-Secretary of Industry and Trade, Rogelio Garza Garza, said on Saturday.

The OECD was seeking to develop the digital economy around the world, Garza told Xinhua in an interview. As such, the institution was collecting best practices on important topics, such as how to bring Internet access to rural areas.

"We are now in a cooperation stage in terms of developing innovation and human capital," he said. "For Mexico, it is very important to know how to develop professionals in this new digital era."

Garza said that information and communications technology (ICT) had proven to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the Mexican economy.

He admitted that Mexico was still behind other Latin American economies in ICT, but he said that "we are aware of the great challenge we have to overcome."

Garza said that in years to come, Mexico would emphasize the development of its digital economy with specific public policies. This will include a national coordination strategy for the digital economy, overseen by President Enrique Pena Nieto.

"We have to enter this great ICT value chain, across many sectors, and our public policies will reflect that," he said, adding that government grants would also be available to help companies in transition to the digital economy.

"In Mexico, SMEs have a challenge to grow, modernize and provide added value. We will help them do that through innovation and the digital economy," Garza said. Endit