Co-Creating The Future: Estonia And The Gulf In The Age Of Digital Sovereignty

Across the Gulf, the race to digital sovereignty is reshaping how nations govern, trade, and secure their futures. From smart infrastructure to cloud-native public services, technology has become a measure of independence as much as efficiency. Estonia, long recognized for turning digital ambition into national advantage, offers lessons in how to make transformation both trusted and inclusive.

Two decades ago, the northern European nation built the world’s first fully digital society. Every citizen received a secure digital identity, public services moved online, and institutions began to exchange data seamlessly through a platform known as X-Road. That experience proved that technology can improve efficiency and transparency when guided by clear principles and public trust.

Today, Estonia’s expertise is helping Gulf nations realize their own digital ambitions. Collaboration between Estonian innovators and regional partners is expanding rapidly, focusing on how to combine innovation with security and how to build local capacity rather than dependence on imported systems.

“True digital sovereignty goes beyond technology,” says HE Liisa-Ly Pakosta, Estonia’s Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs. “It ensures that digital transformation serves citizens while preserving national control over data, infrastructure, and decision-making. The Gulf’s shared commitment to these principles makes our cooperation both strategic and future-oriented."
HE Liisa-Ly Pakosta, Estonia’s Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs. 

Partnerships In Practice 

Estonia’s technology sector is small but globally connected. Its companies are known for practical innovation and for designing solutions that can be scaled nationally. Several of them are already active in the Gulf, helping to turn regional visions into reality.

Estonia’s GITEX 2025 delegation spanned every layer of the digital economy, from governance and cybersecurity to logistics, mobility, and communication. Several company leaders shared how this cooperation is evolving.

Bamboo Group sets the example of Estonian excellence being deployed in the region, signing a partnership agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to explore digital solutions for marine transport services. “This is an important partnership with the RTA, to blend Dubai’s rich marine heritage with cutting-edge technology,” said Natalia Minayeva, Strategic Partnerships Director at Bamboo Group.

Nortal, the company behind much of Estonia’s e-governance infrastructure, works with Gulf ministries to create digital service platforms that anticipate citizens’ needs while protecting privacy. As Taavi Einaste, CEO of Nortal MEA, explains, “The region is making impressive strides in digitalization, demonstrating a strong commitment to transforming public services and creating smarter cities.”

CybExer Technologies, a NATO-recognized cyber-defense firm, develops national training environments where security teams can practice responding to real-world cyber incidents. “Artificial intelligence has changed the rules of cyber defense,” says Jaakko Jalkanen, Vice President of Marketing at CybExer Technologies. “Attacks can now learn and adapt in real time, so nations need on-premise systems that can test, train, and evolve just as quickly. That is what sovereign capability really means.”

FoxSec provides smart-building and internet-of-things security systems that safeguard energy, logistics, and urban infrastructure. Siim Kajo, Board Member, FoxSec, notes, “Security begins with awareness and ends with accountability. Our mission is to ensure that connected systems remain reliable, easy to manage, and compliant with the highest standards—both in Europe and the Middle East.” 

SelectZero helps both public institutions and private companies ensure their data is trustworthy and reliable. “Despite the thousands of kilometers between the Gulf and Estonia, companies and government institutions face the same data challenges, no matter the language or region,” observes Taavi Teder, Chief Operating Officer at SelectZero.

Omnicomm is a leading provider of complete fleet and fuel management solutions, used in over 100 countries and across more than 30 industries. “Companies in the Gulf are actively exploring how technology can reduce fuel costs and environmental impact across different industries,” indicates Boris Pankov, founder and Owner of Omnicomm.

Dexatel protects sensitive data through encrypted communications trusted by both businesses and public institutions. Lilit Yeghiazaryan, CEO of Dexatel, says, “The Gulf is accelerating digital transformation at pace. In this new environment, businesses require reliable, high-performance messaging infrastructure that supports critical interactions with their customers, helping them scale securely into tomorrow.”

Each company represents a different aspect of the same philosophy: digital progress links technology to real outcomes for people and communities. Their work across the region reflects Estonia’s practical and multifaceted approach to innovation.

Estonia’s expertise is helping Gulf nations realize their own digital ambitions.

Trust As The Basis Of Sovereignty

As digital systems take on a larger role in governance, the question of trust becomes central. Estonia’s model demonstrates that trust cannot be added after the fact; it must be designed into every process. Transparent data exchange, clear accountability, and secure identity systems give citizens confidence their interests are being protected.

For Gulf governments pursuing ambitious digital strategies, this emphasis on trust provides a strong foundation. It ensures that automation and artificial intelligence strengthen the social contract by improving access to services and safeguarding information.

Minister Pakosta believes that this people-centered approach is the key to sustainable progress. “Technology, in theory, offers infinite opportunity,” she says. “But it is only when inclusion and transparency guide digital sovereignty that stability and growth can emerge.”

Looking Ahead 

The partnership between Estonia and the Gulf is now moving beyond pilot projects to long-term cooperation. Joint research on responsible data use, shared frameworks for cyber defense, and exchanges between technology clusters are all being planned. The future of digital governance will depend on collaboration between nations that share values of openness and trust.

Estonia’s experience proves that even a small country can lead in digital transformation when it focuses on human outcomes. The Gulf’s scale and ambition provide a powerful platform to apply those lessons in new contexts.

As global attention turns to questions of governance and digital ethics, the partnership between Estonia and the Gulf stands as a model of collaborative sovereignty in action. It shows that when technology serves society, and not the other way around, it can set new standards and benchmarks for digital progress. Estonia’s experience illustrates how smart governance can clear the path for private sector innovation, where public frameworks safeguard citizens and enable business to thrive.

All images courtesy Trade With Estonia.