Cyprus to gain digital know-how from Estonia

Cyprus aims to gain know-how from Estonia in digital transformation projects when President Nicos Anastasiades visits the country on April 27-29.

During the visit, a Memorandum of Cooperation will be signed to strengthen the government’s efforts to implement reforms in digital transformation and e-government.

Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Kyriakos Kokkinos, told the Cyprus News Agency: “The goal of the Republic of Cyprus through this visit and the forthcoming signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation is the transfer of know-how from Estonia to Cyprus in matters of digital transformation projects, which are currently being implemented”.

Estonia is considered a pioneer of e-government and is recognised as the world’s most advanced digital society.

“e-government is a prerequisite; it is high on our priorities as a State”.

Kokkinos said leaps had been made during the last two years through the cooperation that Cyprus is developing with Estonia and has already developed with the United Kingdom, Germany and Greece.

Cyprus aims to accelerate e-government so that citizens and businesses are served online, in a digital environment that is friendly, easy to use and with a holistic approach, Kokkinos told CNA.

Cyprus signed in 2016 another Memorandum of Cooperation with Estonia.

This cooperation covered areas of cybersecurity, planning a holistic life cycle of digital public services and the exchange of know-how between experts on specific e-government projects.

Kokkinos said Cyprus has done “remarkable work” in e-government and that Estonia can also learn some things from Nicosia, mainly land registry and urban planning.