New GovStack tech strategy GovSpecs 2.0 leads the way for future-ready Digital Public Infrastructure

As digital governance becomes an essential pillar of good governance and sustainable development worldwide, governments are seeking a trusted, cost-effective, and sovereign approach to build their digital public infrastructure. GovStack provides an internationally endorsed blueprint that allows countries to design and implement digital public services in a coordinated way without being locked into specific technologies or vendors. ESTDEV is the lead implementing partner for Estonia's participation in the GovStack initiative to promote partner engagement, increase global uptake and develop GovStack’s long-term sustainability. 

The new GovSpecs 2.0 strategy establishes GovStack’s building block specification strategic direction for the years of 2025-2027, focusing on concrete deliverables and preparing for the future. The priority is increasing the number of high-quality Building Block specifications to cover most critical government functions. 

“Strategy lays out targets that have been selected based on critical drivers from global govtech space: importance of interoperability, sustainability, cybersecurity considerations and of course the rapid evolution of AI. Each with a major impact on govtech solutions used by governments,” said Kristo Vaher, GovStack CTO. 

But specifications should not be developed in isolation from other GovStack tools, hence the enhancement of implementation support tools is on the agenda as well. 

For instance, publishing a Service Design Guide to help translate the architecture into on-the-ground service designs, and creating specialised implementation guides to ease adoption in specific contexts, e.g. those at the interaction between GovStack Building Blocks and the European Union’s eIDAS regulatory framework. Another goal is to significantly increase the number of new compliant software products listed on GovMarket, including those that qualify as open-source Digital Public Goods. This will give governments a ready catalogue of interoperable solutions and vendors to choose from, hence accelerating procurement and deployment of e-services. 

Looking beyond 2025, a major priority is ensuring GovStack remains future-ready. In 2026, the focus will shift to AI-readiness and modernisation of all specifications – embedding AI considerations (such as data standards for AI, machine learning APIs, and ethical safeguards) into GovStack framework so that governments can confidently integrate artificial intelligence and automation into digital services. 

GovStack new legal home 

ESTDEV has just extended its contract with GIZ until the end of 2025 with a very clear cut purpose. 

“GovStack is currently undergoing a major transformation from a single project to a long-term, sustainable global setup. By the end of 2025, the founding partners intend to establish an independent GovStack Legal Foundation in Estonia as the new home for the initiative. By broadening the coalition, we aim to anchor GovStack as a globally owned DPI initiative, with shared financing and political support. Hence we call on political leaders and donors to join us in this effort – backing the GovStack Foundation means contributing to a global public good that will strengthen digital government capacity worldwide for years to come,” said Marika Popp, GovStack project lead for Estonia. 

Expert community shapes the future  

Community engagement and capacity-building are also scaling up. In addition to training hundreds of officials and technologists on using the tools in their projects, GovStack is actively looking for new experts to join the Working Groups (e.g. Payments, Registries, Security) to help refine requirements, share domain expertise, and shape the fundamental aspects of how modern-day governments operate.  

As GovStack’s Data Lead Maksim Ovtšinnikov  has put it, “we see the GovStack principles becoming the gold standard for governments in the foreseeable future”. As GovStack is setting its sights for the upcoming years, now is the best time for experts of various backgrounds to join and contribute to a global public good that will strengthen digital government capacity worldwide for years to come. 

Read the strategy document in full:

GovStack was founded in 2020 by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), represented by GIZ, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, represented by ESTDEV, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL). The Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) is the implementation partner for GovStack, fostering partnerships and community involvement.