On 1 January in 2025, Estonia took over the Chairship of the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) from the Netherlands. During its one-year Chairship, Estonia will be committed to helping to bridge the global digital gap by sharing its experience in building an e-state.
“Estonia’s chairship is greatly influenced by ongoing global processes related to the development of technology,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said. “We are at a pivotal point where the decisions made today will largely determine the foundations of digital technologies and e-governance for the coming decades, if not longer. This is why it is important for like-minded countries and partners across the world to make an effort to place human rights at the heart of discussions over the development of technology.”
Tsahkna said that as a Chair, Estonia would be dedicated to making sure that the internet remains free, credible and safe, and that technology, including artificial intelligence, respects human rights. Estonia also considers it crucial to ensure access to technology to reduce the digital gap between northern and southern countries.
Undersecretary for Global Affairs Minna-Liina Lind said that internet freedom and human rights online were under constant attack because restrictions on internet access, surveillance and information manipulation have become increasingly common. “To counter these problems successfully, we need cooperation between the state and the private sector, and use the levers of diplomacy. The Freedom Online Coalition makes it possible to engage in this crucial cooperation,” Lind said.
The Freedom Online Coalition was established in 2011 to uphold and advance online freedom globally and shape international decisions based on this fundamental principle. Estonia is one of the 15 founding members of the FOC; the group now includes 42 countries committed to upholding human rights online.