Uganda has earmarked Estonia as a key partner in achieving its ambitious digitalisation framework.

Speaking during the official launch of the first Estonian Consulate in Uganda in Kampala on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, information minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi said Uganda has since prioritised investment into expanding its information and communication technology (ICT) in order to facilitate the achievement of her development projections.

“As you have heard from the various speakers, Estonia has made a lot of progress in terms of digitalisation. We hear in Uganda and the rest of Africa, that we are still in the early stages of the digital revolution and we have a lot to learn from countries such as Estonia which we already have a running partnership supporting us to address issues of digital literacy and they have sponsored some of our staff to Estonia for more digital knowledge,” Baryomunsi said.

He added that with the formalisation of the diplomatic channels through establishing a Consulate, the two countries will collaborate much more strongly than before, especially on digital enhancement.

“The future is digital and we have a lot to learn from Estonia, please open your doors for us so that we can bridge and narrow this digital divide that exists between the global north and the global south,” he said.

Uganda has since invested millions of money in Internet infrastructure and by 2023, it had 11.77 million Internet users, with an internet penetration rate of 24.6% of the total population.

There were 2.05 million social media users, accounting for 4.3% of the population. The phones were projected to be 30.55 million connections, a representation of 63.8% percent of the total population.

Baryomunsi said Uganda has made a lot of progress in the last 38 years of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

“My background is medical and in medical terminologies, I describe the country then as a patient who was on oxygen and surviving on steroids (man-made hormones). That is how the situation was in Uganda when you go back. However, I can say 40 years down the road we have registered a lot of progress and I want to thank our partners who have always extended us support,” he added.

Bringing unique value

Estonia with 1.5 million people, employs 35,000 in ICT spaces.

Kairi Saar-Isop, the director general at the foreign affairs ministry of Estonia, before unveiling the first Honorary Consul of Estonia in Uganda, Girisch Nair said Estonia, which has only one embassy in Africa located in Cairo, Egypt are looking at finding high-profile entrepreneurs as honorary consuls.

“Estonia is known as the world’s first and most advanced digital society where all the state services are online. The new consul will help to advance the Estonia-Uganda cooperation,” she said.

Girisch said the opening of the Estonian Honorary Consulate in Uganda brings the two countries closer as it offers a channel for accessing information, collaboration and social exchange.

“Estonia, however, also brings unique value to Uganda. It is common knowledge that Estonia is globally recognised as the world's most digitally advanced nation. Every engagement of a resident with the Government happens online. This enables efficient delivery of services, without bureaucracy or red-tape or any friction, at scale and the lowest cost. Indeed, a common joke is that the only time a public sector service requires physical engagement in Estonia, is to get married,” he said.

In a subsequent interview with New Vision, he added that such a critical benefit of adopting GovTech is to help Governments run the most cost-efficiently, transparent and accountable systems which deliver tangible and impactful services.

“The Estonian Honorary Consulate will aim to become a harbinger of collaboration between the Republic of Uganda and the Republic of Estonia. We should help in the fasttracking of engagements between the two nations, both at a Government level as well as between the private sector, businesses or individuals. Our government agencies have already been visiting their counterparts in Tallin for several years, to benefit from technology and collaboration, across numerous spheres. We hope to scale this engagement better, for purpose,” he said.

He added: “We hope to interest Ugandan students, and explore academic opportunities at Estonia's world-renowned universities in Tallin and Tartu. As well as assist Ugandan businesses, to benefit from quicker access to information and learn of collaboration opportunities with world-leading Estonian businesses. We truly believe such a platform will enhance economic and social exchange, for the mutual benefit of the two nations.”

He said Estonia has been, for the past decade, disseminating its expertise, and knowledge amid experience to numerous countries.

“Indeed, Estonia has designed, built and operates NATO's Cybersecurity defense infrastructure, since the past decade.

Several countries in Africa are benefitting from such engagements and collaborations with the Estonian Government as well as Estonian businesses. 

The Estonian Development Agency (Estdev) is collaborating with the European Union, through the AU-EU D4D programme, with several entities in the Ugandan Government and a great deal of knowledge transfer is already underway,” he said.