The 9th e-Governance Conference will host digital leaders and experts from more than 80 countries

The 9th international e-Governance Conference will take place in Tallinn on May 30-31, focusing this year on how to implement digital innovations more efficiently, prevent digital vulnerability and be ready for the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector. The two-day event will host digital development strategists, decision makers, policy implementers, and donors from more than 80 countries worldwide.

At the conference, all continents are represented. The biggest delegations arrive from Brazil, Ukraine, Kosovo, Moldova and Indonesia. 

According to Hannes Astok, the CEO of the e-Governance Academy (eGA), in 9 years the e-Governance Conference has become the go-to meeting place for representatives of transforming countries, Estonian e-government developers, and international donors. "Many digital cooperation projects have received a boost from this Conference. For example, the development of a data exchange platform in Djibouti and Benin, the creation of a digital country roadmap for Pacific countries, and cooperation with the governments of Aruba, Dominica, Namibia, and the Cayman Islands," said Hannes Astok.

The main focus of the Conference is about contribution to social change via digital transformation. Discussions will focus on 4 main topics: developing the necessary skills for digital governance, reducing digital vulnerability through more skillful service design, the role of people in increasing the cybersecurity of the country, and data governance in the age of artificial intelligence.

“While championing digital societies during the last 20 years, eGA’s team has learned that digital innovation is not a thing in itself, but a tool for the benefit of people and society. People, not technology, must be at the center of digital transformation. Therefore, digital development requires a comprehensive and inclusive approach, starting with the development of people's skills and ending with data governance,” said Hannes Astok.

“With the advent of artificial intelligence, governments must rethink data management, which is the basis of digital innovation, so that people control data, not data control people,” Mr. Astok added.

The conference speakers lineup includes the Estonian Prime Minister Ms. Kaja Kallas, the Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Margus Tsahkna, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technologies Mr. Tiit Riisalo, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mr. Mykhailo Fedorov, the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Development and Digital Transformation Mr. Dumitru Alaiba, the Indonesian Minister of Administrative Reform Mr. Abdullah Azwar Anas, the Gambian Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Mr. Ousman A. Bah, Oxford University researcher Mr. Paul Timmers, training expert Mr. Petteri Kallio, and many other digital developers and leaders from around the world.

The conference's workshops and presentations will provide an overview of the latest digital innovations in Estonia, Brazil, Costa Rica, the Gambia, Indonesia, Ukraine, and other African countries, as well as Estonia's contribution to the digital development of several countries.

The two-day conference will take place on May 30-31 at the Kultuurikatel in Tallinn and will be streamed online at egovconference.ee. The conference also features an expo of digital solutions from Estonian and international companies. The speakers’ introductions, the program, and participation information can be found on the conference website at egovconference.ee.

The ninth e-Governance Conference is organized by the e-Governance Academy (eGA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Estonian International Development Cooperation Centre (ESTDEV). With this year's Conference, eGA celebrates its 20 years of activity in championing digital societies. During this time, in cooperation with Estonian and international organizations, eGA has carried out more than 300 cooperation projects, with over 280 organizations, in 141 countries and regions. The experience gained has inspired the theme of this year's Conference “Digital Innovation as Catalyst for Social Change”.