In a formal speech to the Estonia‑UAE Business Forum at Expo Dubai, the Prime Minister of Estonia highlighted the country’s digital transformation and e‑government services—e‑school, e‑health, online business registration, and internet voting—as core to its resilience during crises such as COVID‑19, supply‑chain disruptions, and rising energy prices. He credited a simple tax system, low bureaucracy, and tech‑friendly immigration laws for creating a business‑friendly ecosystem that has nurtured a thriving IT sector, producing Europe’s highest per‑capita unicorn count (Skype, Playtech, Wise, Bolt, MyDrive, Zego) and projecting that startups could soon account for a third of Estonia’s GDP. The address identified future cooperation opportunities in defence, food, education, personal medicine, and other sectors, and announced the creation of the Estonia‑UAE Business Council to cement post‑Expo economic, educational, and cultural ties. He also referenced the STEMnet Pavilion, which brings together 42 partners and connects with representatives from 192 countries, underscoring Estonia’s commitment to global innovation partnerships.
Chapters
President of Estonia.
Hyväksynti, presidentti Sakuran, dear friends of Estonia in my lecture. Welcome to Estonian Business Forum. Digital solutions and an innovative mindset have helped Estonia develop significantly in recent years. Digital is cross-cutting and enormous opportunity. It is the Estonian way of doing. Times have been turbulent. We have had COVID crisis, supply-side disruptions, and the now surging energy prices. Yet we have coped them well. The digital community is fast to react and to adapt to the new situations. There is an app for everything. Whether you need to make a transaction, rent a car, or measure the amount of money. In Estonia, we knew long before COVID-19 that it is possible to e-school and e-health, start a business online with a few clicks, or vote in parliamentary elections on internet. Over the last 2 years, We have seen how even traditional businesses can be moved online if needed. We have witnessed an enormous development in payment systems, education technology, transportation solutions, and in many other fields which exploit IT solutions. All of this is possible thanks to a favorable business climate with a simple tax system and low bureaucracy. We have also introduced immigration laws which lower the hurdles for tech companies. The IT sector has flourished in recent decades in Estonia. The share of jobs in the IT sector has been constantly increasing, and the technology sector has contributed to significant part of our economic growth. Thanks to our way of doing business. There are many successful international companies originating from Estonia. The business-friendly environment has made Estonia a hub for technology companies and startups. We have the highest number of unicorns per capita in Europe: Skype, Playtech, Wise, Bolt, MyDrive, Zego, At some point, the startup sector will contribute about a third of our GDP. Our focus here is on promoting business relationships. We see further opportunities for cooperation in sectors such as the defense industry, digitalization, food, education, personal medicine, And others. We are honored to be at Dubai Expo represented with our pavilion, which tells our story. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I am glad to add today, ten days before the closure of this great event, we are also thinking about the future: how to maintain and strengthen. Our bilateral economic relations after the Expo. It makes me especially delighted to announce that at the request of business communities, we have established the Estonia-UAE Business Council. The founding members had their first meeting today. I wish the Business Council all the success, and I am sure that it will bring Estonia and the United Arab Emirates closer together. It will help to build mutual trust between our countries, not only economics and politics, but also in education, culture, and other areas. Expo Dubai has created an opportunity for the STEMnet Pavilion, 42 partners to connect with representatives of 192 countries. Those of you here today represent those with whom these relations have been the closest. We look forward to continuing building these contacts in the near future. I hope that you will find many new contacts and inspiring ideas from this forum. Thank you very much for joining us.
