Indonesia partners with Estonia on data governance and DPI
By Mochamad Azhar
The partnership will focus on technical and policy cooperation in the areas of data governance and digital public infrastructure (DPI) development.
The Indonesian government is partnering with the Estonian government on data governance and digital public infrastructure (DPI). Image: Satu Data Indonesia Secretariat
Indonesia, through the Ministry of National Development Planning (PPN) / Bappenas, is strengthening its partnership with the Estonian government to enhance its digital transformation.
During a strategic dialogue in Jakarta on April 22, delegations from both countries agreed on technical and policy cooperation in the areas of cross-agency data exchange and digital public infrastructure (DPI) development, according to a Bappenas’ Satu Data Indonesia press statement.
"Digitalisation is not just about leveraging technology, it is about [building] trust and collaboration.
“The partnership with the Estonian Government will open up space to accelerate the adoption of inclusive, safe, and efficient digital governance," said Bappenas’ Deputy for Digital Economy and Transformation, Vivi Yulaswati, who also led the Indonesian delegation.
Other members of the Indonesian delegation were Minister PPN / Bappenas' Special Staff, Rama Notowidigdo, and Satu Data Indonesia's Executive Director, Dini Maghfirra.
The Estonian delegation was led by the Republic of Estonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Margus Tsahkna.
Other members of the delegation included the Estonian Ambassador to Indonesia, Singapore and ASEAN, Priit Turk and high-ranking Estonian Government officials and technology sector representatives, including Cybernetica AS’s CEO, Oliver Väärtnõu, who is widely recognised for his contributions to the development of X-Road, a decentralised data exchange system.
The dialogue, according to Yulaswati, aimed to support the implementation of Indonesia's newly launched National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2025-2029.
One of the aims of accelerating digital transformation was to realise inclusive and sustainable development in Indonesia.
"We hope that the partnership with the Republic of Estonia can help us achieve the main goals of the RPJMN," Yulaswati added.
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Global best practices for data exchange
The Estonian delegation expressed its commitment to support Indonesia in building a reliable and sustainable data exchange ecosystem.
"In Estonia, data exchange is the main focus of our public service system, which allows cross-sector data to be utilised in real time, resulting in significant efficiency and increased transparency," said Tsahkna.
Tsahkna cited how the data interoperability system has significantly increased tax revenue in Estonia through automation and integration of fiscal data between agencies.
According to him, a similar model was very relevant for Indonesia in strengthening public services and fiscal policy effectiveness.
"Indonesia has great potential in the digital sector, but data integration must be the key factor. Without it, technology will only produce fragmented solutions," Tsahkna added.
GovInsider recently reported that Estonia had digitalised 100 per cent of its government services. The country has been also credited with creating public trust in digital government, enabling widespread adoption of digital services.
Building the foundation of data governance
As the national Chief Data Officer, Satu Data Indonesia (SDI) is leading the development of a framework for data exchange between agencies at the central and regional levels.
Supported by the Estonian government as an experienced partner in system interoperability, Indonesia will be better equipped to develop its national data exchange platform.
"We see that building a data exchange system cannot be done in silos. We need synergy with countries that have proven successful," said SDI's Executive Director, Dini Maghfirra.
However, before establishing a data exchange platform, Indonesia needs to first strengthen data governance across agencies to ensure the availability of accurate, up-to-date, and accountable data.
GovInsider has previously reported that Indonesia’s West Java has been developing their own version of X-Road by studying the success of X-Road in Estonia.
Strengthening strategic cooperation
The dialogue also included technical sessions on data protection, integration of digital public services, and strengthening national digital institutional architecture.
Estonia expressed its readiness to support Indonesia in developing a technical cooperation roadmap, in the form of knowledge exchange, human resource training, and platform development assistance.
Estonia and Indonesia also agreed to continue dialogue in upcoming meetings that will explore cross-sector collaboration schemes, both in the fields of technology and public policy.
During the meeting, Minister of PPN / Bappenas' Special Staff, Rama Notowidigdo, expressed his appreciation for Estonia's commitment to concretely cooperate in supporting digital transformation in Indonesia.
"We welcome further strategic collaboration opportunities in the future. May the relationship between Indonesia and Estonia continue to develop into a mutually reinforcing partnership," Notowidigdo said.