According to Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Estonia is proud to host the OGP community. “Our common vision is clear: a world where governments act in partnership with civil society and the people. We work for a stronger democracy. We aim for open and resilient societies,” Kallas stressed in her opening address.
According to the prime minister, the OGP community has fostered countless reforms that have made governance around the world more transparent and inclusive. “Democracy is never ready, it needs constant care,” the prime minister said.
Prime Minister Kallas stressed that Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine is also a question about the possibility of a democratic future and of ensuring global security. “It is a matter of global security not to let the colonial vision succeed – otherwise, we would all wake up in a more dangerous world. In Russia’s vision for security, it is acceptable to conquer and colonise another country,” the prime minister warned.
The prime minister stressed that in addition to conventional warfare, we also face cyber, information, and energy warfare. “Therefore, it is of utmost importance to combat cyber threats and disinformation and to strengthen the resilience of democratic societies. To achieve this, we in Estonia have tried to build a human-centred digital society that is based on democratic principles and human rights. We are very open to sharing our experiences,” said Kallas.
According to Kallas, authoritarianism is on the rise in the world. “Bad dependencies can harm our open societies, be it in the field of energy, technology, economy, raw materials, or a mixture of all of them. Hence, we need to make considerate choices and make sure that we are connected to friends.”
The prime minister stressed that new ideas can best thrive in open and free societies. “It is very difficult to innovate on command. Suppressive fear and the need to fulfil artificial plans drown out sustainability and competitiveness. Freedom is worth fighting for, because it generates prosperity and security,” she added.
In addition to the opening speech, Prime Minister Kallas also participated in the opening panel of the summit together with Pedro Lopes, Secretary of State for Digital Economy of Cape Verde, Kai Klandorf, Executive Director of the Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organisations, and Diana Dajer, representative of Colombian NGOs. Kallas will also meet with Albin Kurti, Prime Minister of Kosovo, and Ahmed Afif, Vice President of Seychelles, today.
On Thursday, 7 September, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will participate in the closing plenary of the summit at the Telliskivi Creative City, together with Samantha Power, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa. The debate can be viewed on the YouTube channel of the OGP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x81YOMJjGbk starting at 4.30 p.m. Kallas will also have bilateral meetings with USAID Administrator Samantha Power and Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen.
The Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit brings together heads of state and government, civil society organisations, and policy makers from around the world. The OGP unites 76 national governments, over 100 local governments, numerous civil society representatives, and more than two billion people worldwide. The eighth edition of the summit welcomes more than 2,000 delegates to Tallinn and features nearly 50 debates on eight different stages. The event focuses on anti-corruption, civil society and participation, climate, digital technologies, justice, and crisis preparedness. The summit takes place within the framework of the Estonian co-chairmanship of the Open Government Partnership, which Estonia took over in October 2022. More information: https://www.avpeesti2023.ee/et
Opening speech by the Prime Minister: https://valitsus.ee/en/news/remarks-prime-minitser-kaja-kallas-opening-8th-open-government-partnership-global-summit
Photos (album will be updated): https://www.flickr.com/photos/stenbockimaja/
