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The second summit of the Digital 5 (D5), the global network of some of the most digitally advanced governments in the world, was held in Tallinn in November to create better procurement for public sector IT solutions and to ensure digital trust.
The UK and Estonia launched TechLink, a brand new platform to build partnerships between the two countries in technology, innovation and science during the D5 Summit.
Ministers and experts of the D5 – the United Kingdom, Estonia, Israel, Republic of Korea and New Zealand – met in Tallinn in November for the second Summit.
The focus topics of the meeting were better procurement for public sector IT solutions, ensuring digital trust, user needs-based service design, and IT talent management in the public sector.
The Estonian Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure, Mr. Kristen Michal, stated that Estonia was honoured to be the host to lead the world’s digital governments and to chair the work of the D5 this year. “Estonia is proud to be included in this group – we have an advanced digital society, built jointly by the public as well as the private sector,” the Minister said. “X-Road, internet voting, mobile parking, digital signatures, e-School and e-Health are just a few successful examples of Estonian digital solutions and know-how that we can share.”
Besides Minister Michal of Estonia, the delegations were led by Mr. Peter Dunne, New Zealand’s Minister of the Interior, Mr. Jong Sup Chong, Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Korea, Mr. James G.R. Bridges, Parliamentary Secretary for the United Kingdom’s Cabinet Office, and Mr. Yair Schindel, the CEO for the Digital Israel Bureau.
New TechLink platform launched by Estonia and UK
The British Embassy and its partners in the UK and Estonia launched TechLink, a brand new platform to build partnerships between the two countries in technology, innovation and science during the D5 Summit. The TechLink project is the initiative of the British Embassy and focuses on areas such as financial technology, cyber security, digital government, biotech, smart city development and education. This will give businesses from both countries the opportunity to learn from each other’s thriving digital markets and entrepreneurial cultures.
The hub model will now help more people in the UK technology sector learn what is on offer in and from Estonia. The UK-Estonia version will link together specific people, teams and projects in the two countries on specific technology issues; showcase early-stage research and development projects; and explore the opportunities for collaboration and continued funding to the benefit of both Estonian technology developers and UK investors. Its user-friendly web presence will allow information to be shared on activities in key sectors in technology and science.
The aim of the D5 network is to share good practice and experience among countries with the most advanced digital governments and economies. The D5 network was launched in December 2014 by the United Kingdom, Estonia, Israel, Republic of Korea and New Zealand. The D5 Summit Tallinn took place under framework of EU Structural Funds programme entitled “Raising Public Awareness about the Information Society,” and was funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
