ESTDEV secures 7 million euros from the European Commission to support the development of cross-border public e-services for East African Community
The European Commission and Germany, France and Estonia will partner with the East African Community (EAC) to accelerate the region's digital development. Estonia and France will lead implementation for e-governance and cybersecurity.
Over the next 4 years, Estonia’s participation in the programme will be led by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV). ESTDEV has already signed a contract with the European Commission for €7.25 million, which includes €250,000 from Estonia.
The Digital Economy, e-Commerce, e-Payment and Public e-Services (DEEP) Programme partners will work closely with the EAC Secretariat and its partner states to enable and improve inclusive cross-border digital trade and cross-border e-services for the EAC.
“East Africa has immense potential and strengthening secure, interoperable e-services is key to unlocking it. Through the programme, ESTDEV will help build the foundations for reliable digital public services while raising regional awareness of cybersecurity and digital hygiene,” said Andres Ääremaa, ESTDEV’s programme manager for e-Governance and Cybersecurity.
This is Estonia’s largest digital development and e-government development cooperation project in the region to date. It is also the first joint initiative of the European Union in which ESTDEV will directly manage and implement EU funds as an pillar-assessed institution of the European Commission.
Estonia’s approach is a novel way for East Africa to create e-services
Under Estonian leadership, the EAC and its member states will, for the first time, create interoperable and cross-border e-services. For these e-services to function effectively, it is necessary to build them atop a strong foundation. Therefore, ESTDEV aims to:
develop use cases for cross-border data exchange and digital identity;
develop regulatory and organisational frameworks;
create solutions based on the principles of digital public infrastructure for the EAC.
Estonian partners will also develop programmes to increase awareness of cyber threats and cybersecurity.
GovStack as a sustainable way to create public e-services
Sustainability is a priority when developing an ecosystem for public digital services and digital identity. To do this, ESTDEV uses the international GovStack framework, developed with Estonian participation, which offers sustainable, cost-effective, open-source modular solutions for building e-services.
“GovStack is a practical toolkit that helps countries, regardless of their geographical location or digital maturity, develop and deliver public e-services without having to be tied to a single technology or company,” said Marika Popp, GovStack’s project lead for Estonia.
Estonia is a go-to partner for international digital projects
The large volume of donor funding indicates that Estonia has become a reliable partner for EU projects focused on e-governance and cybersecurity. EU partners value Estonian expertise and experience in developing digital solutions at home and abroad.
"Every euro that comes to Estonia through international partners allows us to apply Estonian knowledge and solutions in complex reform contexts while simultaneously growing Estonian companies' international competitiveness," Ääremaa said.
“Projects relating to e-governance and cybersecurity show clearly how Estonia’s public and private-sector experience is becoming a reliable export item that supports both the development of partner countries and the Estonian economy at the same time,” added Ääremaa.
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of eight Partner States: Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda.
The EU-EAC DEEP project is co-funded by the European Union, Germany, France and Estonia and implemented by the German Development Cooperation Agency GIZ, Expertise France and ESTDEV. The project is part of the wider EU initiative Safe Digital Boost for Africa, which supports Africa's digital single market and economic integration within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
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