Indonesia turns to Estonia to strengthen digital government
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- Digital Cooperation: Indonesia and Estonia are finalizing a digital cooperation agreement covering digital ecosystems, e-government and digital public oversight.
- Stronger Digital Services: The proposed partnership would support Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen digital public services, digital identity, cybersecurity and personal data protection.
- ITU Council Bid: Estonia expressed support for Indonesia’s bid for a seat on the International Telecommunication Union Council for 2027–2030.
JAKARTA, Indonesianpost.com — Indonesia and Estonia are finalizing a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) on digital development, covering digital ecosystems, e-government and digital public oversight.
The partnership would allow Indonesia to draw on Estonia’s experience in digital governance, digital identity, cybersecurity and personal data protection to improve its own capabilities.
“We regard Estonia as one of the leaders in e-government and digital society. Its achievements offer an excellent model and make it a strategic partner for Indonesia in accelerating our national digital agenda,” Ismail, secretary-general of Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, said in a statement received and confirmed in Jakarta on Thursday.
Ismail represented Indonesia in preparations for the partnership, meeting Estonian Deputy Foreign Minister Minna-Liina Lind on the sidelines of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 in Doha, Qatar, on November 11, 2026, local time.
Ismail said Indonesia’s digital transformation toward its Golden Indonesia 2045 vision rests on four pillars: resilient, sustainable and secure digital infrastructure; digital government that prioritizes interoperability and trusted digital identity; an inclusive digital society; and a digital economy that fosters innovation and creates new sources of growth.
During the meeting, the two countries discussed finalizing the digital development MoU and plans for its signing.
Both sides have agreed in principle on the substance of the draft, which covers three main areas: digital ecosystems, e-government and digital public oversight.
The discussions built on an understanding reached at an earlier meeting during the ITU’s World Summit on the Information Society Forum in July 2026.
“We have agreed to finalize and sign an MoU on digital development cooperation covering three main areas: digital ecosystems, e-government and digital public oversight,” Ismail said.
Cooperation on digital ecosystems would include the development of emerging technologies and digital public services.
In e-government, the partnership would cover strategies, services, security, digital government technologies and national data centers.
Digital public oversight would encompass personal data protection, digital identity, digital identification systems and digital investigations.
The two countries also discussed strengthening crisis and disaster preparedness, cybersecurity and the resilience of digital infrastructure.
“Estonia’s outstanding achievements can serve as a model for Indonesia. This makes Estonia a highly strategic and valuable partner in accelerating Indonesia’s national digital agenda,” Ismail said.
Beyond bilateral cooperation, the meeting addressed ways to strengthen Indonesia’s participation in global digital governance through the ITU.
Estonia expressed its commitment to supporting Indonesia’s candidacy for the ITU Council for the 2027–2030 term. Both sides also discussed the need for organizational reform and more effective use of knowledge within the ITU.
“In the spirit of our growing partnership and shared commitment to global digital cooperation, we very much hope for Estonia’s support for Indonesia’s candidacy for the ITU Council for the 2027–2030 term,” Ismail said. [Antara/Bilah]
