Digital Government Podcast

The European Union's AI Act is an initiative aimed at regulating the field of artificial intelligence. On Wednesday, March 13, the Parliament approved the regulation. It seeks to establish a legal framework for the use of AI, but also to position the EU at the forefront of global digital governance – at least on this aspect, and in this regard.  The approach is comprehensive, touching on a wi...

Ukraine's journey towards digital transformation has been marked by significant achievements, notably through the development and implementation of Trembita, the nation’s data exchange layer, and the Diia app. These tools have revolutionised the way citizens interact with government services, making them more efficient, transparent, and accessible. Zooming out, though, the context and circums...

We find ourselves often saying that it is people, rather than technological tools, that make the digital transformation successful and effective. That holds true for what concerns listening to the needs of users, taking invaluable feedback, and returning to citizens with solutions that do actually fit their asks and necessities. That holds true as well, though, when applied to managing teams, and...

The e-Governance Conference reaches its tenth edition. In 2024, we mark a decade of digital dialogues – ten years through which topics and participants have become increasingly diverse, and the Conference established itself as a key appointment for practitioners worldwide. This year, we invite you to unlock the secrets and key enablers of successful digital transformation. “Digital success leads t...

Cybersecurity has been, undoubtedly, a dominant theme in last year’s digital governance discourse. The attention, and relevance, that cybersecurity increasingly enjoyed in the past years should be taken as a sign. As our life becomes increasingly digital, it is natural that more and more subdomains of it enter the scene too. In this podcast episode, Elsa Neeme , Senior Expert on Cybersecurity at e...

Digital skills, collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors and governments are important in leading businesses into the digital era. We start the year with a strong vision and a focus on Europe, in light of the recently published DigitalEurope 2030 report . And we do so with Raido Lember , former CEO of the National Investment Promotion Agency of Estonia, right now consulting bus...

And here we are, at the end-of-year appointment with Hannes Astok, Executive Director and Chairman of e-Governance Academy (eGA) to take a look back at what 2023 meant for governments worldwide.  But also, we reflect on what the year meant for eGA. Through our projects and activities, we have once again had the pleasure – and duty – to work with an impressive number of countries, cultures, and var...

“Digital skills feel like a superpower. Because if you can use computers and the internet, the world opens in front of you,” says Kristi Kivilo, Senior Expert in the Governance and Engagement unit of e-Governance Academy. And digital skills, indeed, are the perfect example of something rather small, but that may have a tremendous impact on people’s lives. That holds true in rapidly growing countri...

The saying goes, that the weakest link in the chain of cybersecurity is people. But what about a change of perspective? People, instead, could be considered the first line in a cyber battlefield. An approach that signalled a change of mindset in Moldova, for example, within the ongoing EU-funded project on developing cybersecurity rapid assistance . Including citizens in the scope, next to technic...

Digital transformation of government in Central Asia, in this podcast episode, has the face of Kyrgyzstan. Almost a decade since the inception of the country’s first plans, public services are now available online for citizens, and data exchange is happening between government agencies. Something Tõnis Mäe , Senior Expert of the Digital Architecture Competence Centre of e-Governance Academy, is ri...

Whether in population management, or more specific business processes and use cases, we can’t stress enough the significance of digital data quality. Because tidy registries equate to informed decision-making, and the possibility to build powerful tools and solutions on top of them. In this episode of the Digital Government Podcast, we expand on how ensuring data quality might be an overlooked yet...

How long are two decades, when it comes to digital government? Well, very long – and with a lot of things happening. At least that is what it feels like, as the rapid pace of technological development presents governments with new opportunities, sure. But also, with challenges and risks, new elements to consider in strategy papers, and different ways of delivering services to citizens. Arvo Ott ha...

The past decade has seen digitalization efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean area ramp up rapidly. Development has been fast, but not homogenous. Differing approaches across countries have created a map of digitalization , so to say, that sees governments in the region excel at different things. So what’s the way forward, in such a rapidly moving landscape? Carlos Vargas is an Expert at the...

Crucial distinctions exist between cybersecurity and cyber defence – even more so, at times when war and conflicts seem ever-present in news headlines from all around the globe. It is only fair, then, that governments look into enhancing their cyber defence capabilities and adapt plans and policy agendas to fit a constantly changing threat landscape. Merle Maigre , Head of the Competence Centre on...

Times of digital love, those we live in – as Daft Punk stated too . Practically, the entire supply chain of romance has somehow been impacted by societal digital transformation. Instant messaging, dating apps. So why not take online as well all the boring bureaucratic steps that would lead to the “yes, I do”. A podcast episode on love, war times, and digital services. All elements that coexist in...

October is cybersecurity month. Not that in the rest of the year we are not supposed to place the same attention to safeguarding our digital spaces – that needs to be constant, ever-present. But moments like this do help us highlight, and stress once more, the importance of cybersecurity as a cross-cutting component of digital development actions and strategies. In this podcast episode, we do so b...

Civil society organizations (CSOs) are assuming growingly critical roles in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. These organizations act as intermediaries between citizens and governments, advocating for inclusive digital policies and services that cater to the needs of all.  In the Western Balkans, the ICEDA project aimed to foster and improve CSOs role and positioning in order to do just that....

The newly formed Competence Centre of e-Governance Academy on Governance and Engagement already has a track record of matching active citizenship with institutional dialogue, bringing citizens and administrations closer together. But let’s zoom out for a moment. We have worked on improving the relationship between public service providers and users in Georgia, Ukraine, and many other countries wor...

E-governance practitioners well know that the implementation of digital tools is essential, to enhance the provision and reach of public services. This applies across domains, from the most specific in user base to the more generalist ones. But innovation gains even further relevance when services matter to the entire population at large – in short when it comes to public goods. Healthcare represe...

Digitalization is rapidly transforming democratic processes. Ensuring digital security, as a consequence, has become paramount for safeguarding free and fair elections. Countries in the Western Balkans have recognized the critical role of cybersecurity in preserving the integrity of democratic systems, but at what cost?  Repeated high-profile cyberattacks over the past year have underscored the ur...

Despite the war, despite the devastation. We saw it last year already, through the eyes and voices of e-Governance Academy’s team in Ukraine – digital transformation never stopped in the country. If anything, it picked up pace. In fact, in many ways, digital tools helped Ukrainians work and access public services despite the ongoing Russian invasion. And another milestone has been reached in April...

Speaking today is Serign Modou Bah , Director of Telecommunications and Postal Services at the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy of The Gambia. In this episode, next to delving into the status of digital transformation in the country, Modou Bah discusses the importance of getting right needs and policy actions, and the role of international partnerships in advancing the country’s digi...

The all-African panel that took place at the e-Governance Conference 2023 brought into the spotlight country cases of digital transformation from the continent. An enlightening sessions, where everyone attending – both online and offline – got a unique chance to hear, at a glance, the most salient developments in digital taking place in Uganda and Namibia, among others. In this episode of the Digi...

The Tallinn Summer School of Cyber Diplomacy returns for its fourth edition, keeping up the pace with global developments in diplomacy and cybersecurity. But it’s not just about the mainstreaming of cyber diplomacy as a foreign policy topic, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In both war and peace times, it has become evident how international collaboration can set the world to create a safer...

The upcoming book by e-Governance Academy, “Twenty Years of Building Digital Societies”, brings into focus the role that digitalization played in Estonia, in the countries eGA has collaborated with – and what such expertise adds to the digital development strategies of countries worldwide.  Vision, sustainability, people, security. We take the long view here, in a publication absolutely not to mis...