The e-Governance Conference is an annual event organised by the e-Governance Academy since 2015. It
is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and co-financed from the funds of development
cooperation and humanitarian aid.

18 May 2021 – e-Government Development in Practice

14:00-15:30

Opening Remarks and Presentation

Introduction to e-Governance and e-Estonia 

Hannes Astok – Executive Director, e-Governance Academy

The presentation will introduce the main building blocks of e-governance (digital identity, interoperability, etc.) and how Estonia, which has the most digital government in the world, has benefited from them.

Presentation

Make Digital Maturity Assessment Work for Your Government 

Marit Lani – Expert on Smart Governance, e-Governance Academy

Marit will share e-Government Academy’s experience of implementing Digital Maturity Assessments around the world, talk about top priority areas that have been shared for most countries eGA has worked with, as well as reflect on the pitfalls and misconceptions related to advancing digital maturity.

Panel Discussion

Lessons of How to Make Data Run, Not People 

Ville Sirviö – Chief Executive Officer, Nordic Institute for Interoperability Solutions
Riho Kurg – Head of Data Exchange Technologies, Cybernetica
Arvo Ott – Director of e-Governance Technologies, Member of the Management Board, e-Governance Academy
Heiko Vainsalu – Senior Expert on Technology, e-Governance Academy (moderator)

Last year has had significant spreading … and we are not talking about a virus. As people are forced to not leave their houses, it has been inevitable that data, instead of people,  must be moved around to allow the continuation and operation of public services. Therefore the tools for making data run have been of more interest lately. The infection that is spreading is the X-Road. There are many new sites on the map, where X-Road has been implemented throughout the world. Many have tried, some have implemented it, but are there any success stories? Although public announcements tell stories of success … what makes a data exchange implementation successful? What can be found under the sugar coating?

15:30-15:45

EXPO

15:45-17:00

Panel Discussion

Digital Tools in the Global Battle Against Corruption

Carina Paju – Executive Director, Transparency International Estonia
Peter Varga – Senior Regional Coordinator, Open Government Partnership
Kristina Reinsalu – Programme Director of e-Democracy, e-Governance Academy (moderator) 

One part of this new normality is increased corruption risk. The distribution of recovery packages, leverage of vaccines etc all even increases the risk for corruption. And it is not as it is only the problem of “usual suspect”, countries known as struggling with corruption such as South-American, Eastern Partnership etc countries. No, we see this happening also in countries which rank well in corruption perception indexes. Therefore, even more transparency, accountability and engagement of stakeholders using digital tools is required in post-COVID-19 world. 

Presentation

Security Challenges and Opportunities for Today and Tomorrow

Yasser Rasheed – Global Director of Enterprise Endpoint & Security Products, Intel

Many businesses are implementing software security solutions. But as hackers get more sophisticated, especially with remote work due to COVID eroding the proverbial “perimeter”. Hardware-based security features built-in to the hardware provide an important layer of protection for business devices, applications, and data. Join Yasser to discover ground-breaking technologies that can accelerate and scale security beyond software or human-based approaches with Intel Corporation

Key Take-aways of the First day

Annela Kiirats – Programme Director of e-Governance Training, e-Governance Academy

19 May 2021 – New Normal

10:30-12:00

Opening Remarks

Hannes Astok – Executive Director, e-Governance Academy

Keynotes and Panel Discussion

Joint Digital Steps Towards a Sustainable Future

Kersti Kaljulaid – President of Estonia
Jutta Urpilainen – Commissioner, European Commission
Hannes Astok – Executive Director, e-Governance Academy (moderator)

Digitalisation is a long term process and the pandemic showed that countries who have invested in it over the last decade were able to continue their functions with less disruptions than others  Therefore, digitalisation is becoming one of the biggest priorities for countries around the world as there is high demand from their citizens. The panel discussions will focus on the aspects on how to ensure that the digitalisation process is human-centric, and how to overcome the digital divide and provide people with the needed digital skills.

Digital Payments that Work for Everyone to Boost Economic Recovery from COVID-19: “Must Have” or “Nice to Have”?

Ruth Goodwin-Groen – Managing Director, Better Than Cash Alliance

Governments worldwide are facing both the economic and human cost of the pandemic, which means it will take longer to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Digital payments have been a proven solution for making government financial transfers quickly and effectively to people in need.  Responsible digital payments can continue to play a catalytic role in driving an inclusive and sustainable recovery from the pandemic. When implemented responsibly, digital payments lead to digital financial inclusion with all its economic and human benefits. They can also prioritize women who have suffered more from the current crisis than men and are central to achieving the SDGs. For governments, digitization of all payments, including taxes, is an important tool to strengthen domestic resource mobilization which is essential to charting recovery from the pandemic.

How Crisis Transforms the Digital Governance Models

Nicolas Ruiz – Senior Economist, OECD
Aki Enkenberg – Senior Adviser, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Nele Leosk – Ambassador-at-Large for Digital Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia (moderator)

For many countries the coronavirus pandemic is profoundly affecting socio-economic conditions, accentuating an already complex scenario of significant structural weaknesses. The crisis reinforces the need to transform the foundations of the countries digital governance models. The presentation and panel discussion analyse how has the decision-making on e-government topics during the pandemic have changed? What is the new normal? Will this have long-term implications? What are the examples from the regions and countries around the world?

12:00-13:00

EXPO

13:00-14:30

Presentations and Discussion

How Has the Pandemic Affected Ease of Doing Business?

Elsie Attafuah – UNDP Resident Representative for Uganda
Joram Mwinamo – CEO and Founder, SNDBX
Wanjiru Gikonyo – National Coordinator, The Institute for Social Accountability
Lembit Loo – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia (moderator)

Africa has the world’s fastest growing internet usage and fastest growing tech start-up ecosystem, which plays an increasingly important role in the development of digital content and services. Besides new possibilities, the evolving landscape is creating new risks and challenges, which the pandemic have amplified. What have been the biggest lessons and successes in the last year? The discussion will focus on the pre-requisites that governments provide for ease of doing business, topics like digital identity, investment ecosystem, development of e-services, e-payment platform, etc.

Panel Discussion

Challenges and successes of digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Valeriya Ionan – Deputy Minister for Eurointegration at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine
Bolor-Erdene Battsengel – Chairwoman, Communication and Information Technology Authority of Mongolia
Nuria Kutnaeva – e-Government Expert, former Director, Tunduk e-Government Center, Kyrgyzstan
Hannes Astok – Executive Director, e-Governance Academy (moderator)

The COVID-19 pandemic affected and still affects most of the governments. When brick and mortar were not functional anymore, digital solutions successfully mitigated the lockdown. As the digital solutions can successfully mitigate lockdowns – schools, public administrations and government services around the world are relying on digital solutions.  Many of these solutions in use have been available for years but the lockdown has made the use of these solutions viable. In this session we discuss the digital response of the governments to the crisis and lessons learned.

14:30-15:00

EXPO

15:00-16:30

Ministerial Speeches
Challenges and Successes of Digital Transformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic 

Takuya Hirai – Minister for Digital Transformation of Japan

Joseph Mucheru – Minister of Information, Communications and Technology of Kenya

Mykhailo Fedorov – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine

Kay McConney – Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology of Barbados

How to Achieve Digital Dividends Through e-Governance During any Crisis?

Ralph Oyini Mbouna – Head of Digital Transformation, Smart Africa
Georg Nikolajevski – Expert, Estonian ICT Cluster
Tuuli Pärenson – Expert, Estonian ICT Cluster (moderator)

Digital dividends are the benefits that people gain from adopting new digital technologies. The most important things about digital dividends are not the economic benefits, but rather socio-economic like improving the participation of women in the labor force, the ease of communication for people with disabilities, and the way people spend their leisure. One of the main game changers is that digital solutions provide access to information: creating access to weather predictions, seed information and market prices for farmers; women who have difficulties working outside the home can work on the internet from home; education materials are available to anyone with an internet connection; and even those living in very remote areas can have access to government services. In the long run, digital dividends result in growth, new jobs and service delivery for all. Smart Africa is working on those issues under the Digital Economy and Transformation Index (DETI) initiative.  The DETI will be a framework to measure Smart Africa’s progress towards digital transformation and will ensure that countries and Smart Africa are able to identify gaps in developing interventions to ensure that the benefits are not only economic but are inclusive of all people especially those at risk of being excluded from accessing these digital dividends.

Presentations and Discussion

Development of Digital Skills 3.0 – What Next and Who’s Responsibility It Is?

Cigdem Ertem – Global Director for Public Sector Sales, Intel
Kristo Vaher – Chief Technology Officer, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Estonia
Kristel Rillo – Management Advisor, Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia (moderator)

The rapid development of digital technologies requires both public officials and citizens to acquire the skills needed to use the new tools and e-services. In addition to equipping all citizens and public officials with basic skills, authorities need ICT specialists with advanced IT and project management skills to maintain ICT architecture and implement the government’s digital strategy. How would it be possible to accelerate the digital skills programmes to develop competencies and leadership skills for the areas/topics in e-government that the countries have prioritized for themselves? How can cooperation with private sector help?

Key Take-aways of the Conference Day

Linnar Viik – Programme Director of Smart Governance, e-Governance Academy

20 May 2021 – Next Normal

10:30-12:00

Opening Remarks

Andres Sutt – Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology of Estonia

Panel Discussion

Next Normal for Governments: Which Trends Should Governments Follow in Their Digital Transformation Plans?

Siim Sikkut – Government CIO, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
Randall Brugeaud – Chief Executive Officer, Australia
Linnar Viik – Programme Director of Smart Governance, e-Governance Academy, (moderator)

The panel discussion will review what has changed between May 2020 and May 2021 from the view of the CIOs, and what to expect in upcoming years. Into what will the CIOs pool their attention and resources, and what will they recommend to others? In 2020 many governments had well written digital strategies, but there was not much action in the digital transformation process. In 2021 the governments acted a lot in the area of digitalization, but there was no strategic approach. Is the rapid change also part of new and next normal?

Keynote

Next Normal for Governments: from the European Union’s Perspective

Anthony Whelan – Digital Advisor to the President of the European Commission

The intervention will look at the EU’s experience with rapid development of secure, privacy-sensitive and interoperable cross-border solutions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as contact tracing apps and certification of vaccination, test or recovery status. The EU continues to build on its evolving policy agenda, such as the Tallinn (2017) and Berlin (2020) Declarations, while certain topics have become more strategic as online life has ballooned during the pandemic. Chief among these is work on an EU digital identity, to allow citizens to identify themselves and authenticate personal attributes via a secure, user-controlled solution accepted in both public and commercial online settings.

Keynote

From Services to Systems: COVID-19, Climate Change and the Next Horizons for e-Governance 

Sir Geoff Mulgan – Professor at University College London

12:00-13:00

EXPO

13:00-14:30

Presentation

Why Digital Responsibility Matters?

Linnar Viik – Programme Director of Smart Governance, e-Governance Academy

Linnar Viik – Why Digital Responsibility Matters from e-Governance Academy on Vimeo.

Keynote

Innovative Ways to Bring the Public Interest into the Tech Sector?

Eli Sugarman – Content Director, Oversight Board Administration

Panel Discussion

Digital Responsibility: Technology and the Corporate View

Eli Sugarman – Content Director, Oversight Board Administration
Üllar Jaaksoo – CEO, Greenergy Data Centers
Merle Maigre – Senior Expert on Cyber Security, e-Governance Academy (moderator)

Digitalization raises new questions for governments and companies about their social responsibilities. At a time when technology is shaping every facet of modern life, companies across the Atlantic should rethink their corporate social responsibility. How can companies better define and build the public interest technology sector? It is vitally important that the debate about our society’s future development is conducted not only in terms of the technological, commercial and economic implications, but also in terms of the ethical aspects and the underlying legal framework. Within most enterprises, the corporate digital responsibility is spread thinly across various corporate departments, if not entirely overlooked. Bringing these disparate and fragmented elements together under a single umbrella allows them to be addressed in a consistent and complementary manner. How can the government be a partner in this?

Panel Discussion

Digital Responsibility: Government and the Civil Society View

Robert Bjarnason – President & CEO, Citizens Foundation, Iceland
Aldo Merkoci – Executive Director, MJAFT!, Albania
Kristina Mänd – Senior Expert on e-Democracy, e-Governance Academy (moderator)

The pandemic caused countries around the world to employ digital solutions, which they had been ignoring or postponing, almost overnight. Such rapid development also raises several questions related to digital responsibility and accountability.
The digital responsibility has mainly been addressed by the business sector. However, the expectations to the governments to set the agenda for digital responsibility are becoming increasingly clear, as is the potential role of CSOs in challenging the governments in the process. It is a broad topic that needs collaboration between different stakeholders, and albeit the different levels of digital maturity, speaks to every country.
In this session, we will address the concept of digital responsibility and the expectations to the governments, in addition to the role of CSOs in supporting governments in digital responsibility. In so doing, we will draw from international experiences, particularly from the “Increasing Civic Engagement in the Digital Agenda – ICEDA” project in the Western Balkan countries.

14:30-15:00

EXPO

15:00-16:15

Keynote

Next Normal: A Path Towards the e-Government of Tomorrow  

Trond Arne Undheim – Futurist, Venture Partner, Author

The keynote will focus on what deep digitalization actually means for the core functions of society, what to learn from shocks (such as COVID pandemic), and how global e-governance would enable a resilient infrastructure that not only preserves public services but enhances and enables innovation, wellbeing, and human dignity. Trond will also touch on the regulation of algorithms, how a ‘new normal’ will not be new nor normal, and to which degree we were prepared for remote government and algorithmic decision making.

Panel Discussion

Next Normal: Digital Only

Trond Arne Undheim – Futurist, Venture Partner, Author
Toomas Hendrik Ilves – Former President of Estonia
Linnar Viik – Programme Director of Smart Governance, e-Governance Academy (moderator)

What have we and the governments learnt from 2020 and what have we refused to learn? What should the government do next and how? What are the trends that influence the most the digital transformation in the future? The discission will also cover topics like the future of innovation in the public sector, public private partnership pains and gains, resilience, skills and international cooperation.

Digital Only feat. Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Trond Arne Undheim from e-Governance Academy on Vimeo.

Key Take-aways of the Conference

Hannes Astok – Executive Director, e-Governance Academy