Representatives of Estonia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan established Peer-to-Peer Learning Alliance on the Development of Electronic Government at the annual conference of the Astana Civil Service Hub.

The Peer Learning Alliance has been created in accordance with the OECD Platform for Effective Institutions (EIP) methodology and is aimed at experience sharing on public services digitalization among practitioners of seven countries.

An analyst at the OECD Directorate for Public Administration, Joao Ricardo Vasconcelos, in his speech noted: “Peer-to-Peer Learning involves regular exchange of best practices between countries with similar social and economic conditions. The Alliance will facilitate joint search of solutions and ideas for the development of digital government. The OECD is ready to support the achievement of these goals”.

The Estonian Academy of Electronic Government’s Council member, Christine Leitner said: “Within the Alliance, we plan to arrange study visits for the representatives of the participating countries to the authorized bodies of Estonia, where currently 99% of state services are provided online.”

CEO, SmartGov consulting Aziza Umarova presented international experience and trends in e-governmnet development. She stressed the importance of administrative reforms and information sharing among state agencies.

Next, Semral Aliyev, Senior advisor of E-Governance and Digital Innovations Department of the State Agency on Public Service and Social Innovations of Azerbaijan, Indira Sharshenova, from the State Personnel Service of the Kyrgyz Republic, Vache Kirakosyan, from EKENG CJSC Armenia, Otabek Makhkamov from the Academy of Public Administration of Uzbekistan shared the best practices and achieved outcomes in e-governmnet development of their countries.

The participants discussed further steps and strategies, identified the learning outcomes and ways of cooperation, appointed the focal points for each country. The Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Astana Civil Service Hub, Alikhan Baimenov, closed the session and congratulated all participants with the launch of the Alliance. 

The Alliance was decided to be created during the Hub’s international seminar on public service digitization for the experts in public administration held in 2017. This is the second Alliance of Practitioners created by the Astana Hub. In 2016, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan established the Alliance for Public Services, which resulted in the development of three case studies on public services delivery according to a “one-stop-shop” principle in three countries.