Digital Government Podcast

Artificial intelligence is moving into the mainstream of government and industry, and with it comes new responsibilities. Mapping today’s AI landscape, then, means looking into the behavioural shifts it triggers, the governance frameworks it demands, and the global power dynamics it reshuffles.  In this Digital Government Podcast episode we’re joined by Matthew Blakemore , CEO of AI Caramba! and a...

What does it mean to lead digital transformation when the stakes are high, and the playbook is being written in real time? Statesmanship shines in this Digital Government Podcast episode with Taimar Peterkop , Estonia’s former State Secretary now with e-Governance Academy, and one of the architects behind the country’s acclaimed digital governance model.   From navigating the 2017 ID-card crisis,...

While governments worldwide keep evolving and adapting to new ways of rolling out public services, Ukraine – even faced with a full-scale military aggression – offers a compelling example of how savvy transformation processes can bring services closer to people. Here is where the Digital Competence Centre (DCC)/ Центр цифрових компетенцій steps in, as a hub for the development, standardisation, an...

There’s motion in the Caribbean region. The area is known for its constant movement of people, businesses, and services across national borders. Whether for work, trade, or social reasons, citizens routinely engage in cross-border exchanges. Interoperability, as a consequence, becomes a prerequisite and enabler of these (and further) exchanges.   Rodney Taylor , Secretary-General of the Caribbean...

Once past the first point of emergency, integration into a new society is not limited to finding – as basic as the need is – only a safe place to live. It’s also about access to services, employment, and a sense of community, too. For many Ukrainians who relocated to Estonia following the full-scale war launched by Russia, digital skills can be the key to more easily addressing the needs of this n...

Digital transformation has long by now been a cornerstone of modern governance, reshaping how societies function and how services are delivered. How often, though, does the conversation evolve beyond efficiency gains and automation?  In this special episode, Kristina Mänd , Programme Director of the e-Governance Conference 2025, joins us to explore: 🔹 How digital investments can contribute to lon...

It is no mystery that the search for IT professionals to join the public sector’s ranks has come to be a full-fledged quest. Yet, next to being a challenge to address, it opens up opportunities for organisational growth, and also – perhaps – a few ways to rethink work.  On the table, there should be a real understanding of people’s wishes and expectations from work. Next to that, public administra...

With cyber threats growing in sophistication and scale, organisations must rethink their strategies to safeguard digital assets and operational continuity. Security Operations Centers (SOCs) stand at the forefront of this effort, acting as centralised hubs where cybersecurity professionals monitor, manage, and mitigate threats.  The rise in cyber threats – estimated to have grown by 25% annually o...

The AI reckoning is here, and that’s not just based on announcements and latest releases from top corporate actors in the field. Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how governments serve their citizens, making processes more efficient, policies more targeted, and economies more dynamic.   Among experts, few understand this transformation better than Luukas Ilves , former Chief Information...

Awareness of the benefits of digital transformation is increasing in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), as it is collaboration with international entities to drive projects forward. Year by year, this is laying down pathways for a more connected and inclusive digital government, with tangible benefits for the population and the economic area as a whole.  Miguel Porrúa , Lead Specialist on Digi...

It is a major step towards global digital integration, the one coming from Ukraine. The country recently launched its uResidency programme in September 2024. With that, the country aims to open up to international entrepreneurs who seek to establish and operate businesses in a vibrant digital economy. Without the need for physical presence – sound familiar? Don’t call it an Estonian spin-off, thou...

Estonia’s e-Residency program turns ten years old, and we join in the celebrations with a deep dive into what’s been, so far, a very exciting path. As one of the international golden children of Estonia’s digital and global economic policy, the e-Residency program has changed, evolved, and grown. In the digital space, ten years are no short time. From government start-up, to world-known solution f...

As the fifth Tallinn Cyber Diplomacy Summer School currently taking place in Tallinn, attendees reflect on a year of diplomacy in cybersecurity. Some of them, too, having gone from participants to speakers. The program, organised annually, is designed to bridge theoretical understanding and hands-on experience in cyber diplomacy, and for Claudio Peguero and Alban Andreu , the Summer School has tur...

Can a group of Caribbean islands become the Estonia of the region, looked up to on digital transformation and service delivery? E. Jay Saunders thinks so – for both citizens and businesses. He is the former Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, Investment, and Trade of the Turks and Caicos Islands. And at the 10th e-Governance Conference, by all rights took part in a panel on enlightened digital...

"2024 is the biggest election year in human history. Half of the world’s population – some 3.7 billion people – have the opportunity to vote this year across 72 countries.” So notes Merle Maigre, Head of Cybersecurity at e-Governance Academy, on host duties for this podcast episode on securing elections.“Voting is at the very heart of democracy, making it vital that we safeguard the integrity...

In Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan is advancing fast in digital development. A series of initiatives in the last ten years significantly brought the country forward in increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery. However, the transformation does not stop there. With support from both the population and high-level decision-makers, digital leaders in the country have the opportunity (an...

Digital advancements present us with numerous opportunities to move forward on the path toward more inclusive and democratic societies. That has been the case when tech-enabled social movements and civil society organisations to sprout, regroup, and act. However, the opposite holds true too – technology is agnostic, and supported by authoritarian or malicious intents, it can be used to threaten, s...

Costa Rica has one Minister for four domains – science, innovation, technology, and telecommunications. It is Paula Bogantes Zamora , who joined us on stage at the latest e-Governance Conference 2024 for a panel on leadership in driving digital transformation.  Very fittingly so, as Costa Rica keeps advancing on its path towards effective and all-encompassing digital transformation. From healthcar...

Digital governance, done right, calls for leaders and changemakers to be versed in a variety of spheres and domains. Cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, diplomacy, relations with societal stakeholders. In a way, that was to be expected – digital development and technological advancements accelerated global and international integration, of both markets and general trends, in the past thirty ye...

Putting digital transformation to work for the benefit of society means taking an extra step, to Lacina Koné. The CEO of Smart Africa supports the idea that on the way from digital buzz to business success, efficient digital government can be key in attracting and retaining top talent and investments. On the path towards a digital Africa, though, a mix of deep-rooted challenges and bold steps to t...

Since years already, the Republic of Moldova has had to take measures to safeguard the integrity of its national cyberspace in the face of russian interference and aggression. In doing so, it has been supported by international partners and the European Union. But little would have been possible, without the effort and dedication of its civil servants. It was our pleasure, then, to award the Minis...

Digital frontiers are constantly reshaping the world, making digital diplomacy and public digital infrastructure critical areas of innovation and policy. Naturally, as governments navigate the complexities of fast-paced technological advancements that actively impact society, the need for a robust digital public infrastructure (DPI) and the effective use of digital public goods (DPG) becomes cruci...

Digital landscapes, by default, evolve and expand beyond the borders of national cyberspaces. So it is natural that the paths of cybersecurity and geopolitics become increasingly intertwined. What countries cannot afford in this context, though, is to overlook roles and modes of countering effectively cyber threats. On cybersecurity, the e-Governance Conference 2024 features a fireside chat betwee...

Some terms in the public discourse, despite filled with meaning and relevant concepts, somehow happen to not really take hold. The green transition, a necessity of our times to address, still it’s something that – here and there – could truly benefit from more support. That support can come from citizens, enabled to participate in more democratic decision-making processes, and from digital tools t...

Service design remains in focus at the e-Governance Conference – this year hosting a keynote by the former Director of Design for the UK Government, Lou Downe . The founder also of the School of Good Services, a design and consulting practice that resulted from the wide reach of their design principles, and the book ‘ Good Services: How to Design Services that Work ’. A start in the arts, the swit...