Mr. David Melua, executive director of NALAG, Ms. Natya Ghvinashvili, deputy executive director of NALAG at the invitation of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), under the auspices of Danish, Austrian, Swiss and Georgian governments attended International Best Practices Study tour to Estonia.

Georgian delegation composed of representatives from the Parliament of Georgia, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia (MRDI) and UNDP held the meetings in Tallinn and Tartu.

Delegation was hosted in the Ministry of Finance of Estonia, Parliament of Estonia, State Audit Office, e-Governance Academy and University of Tartu. Throughout the visit participants got acquainted with local governments in Estonia, open governance and engagement of citizens in decision-making on local level, academic approach to support e-government innovations.

Participants of the study-tour met with the Rural Affairs Committee, Mayor of Tartu City Government, Tartu Country Governor, representatives from the Ministry of Finance of Estonia, the Director General of Statistics Estonia, Chief Auditor of LG Auditing, as well as with the experts.  Hosts made the presentations on accountability and integrity strengthening mechanisms at the local level, spatial planning on regional level, data collection mechanisms, the role of ICT in municipalities – smart city concept.   

Throughout the study tour was discussed the role of private sector in e-government implementation, digital identity management and showcases of e-services, principles of launching and managing local government ICT projects, formation of ICT budgets.

During the meetings it was noted that sharing Estonian experience will significantly facilitate improvement of municipal services and good governance standards in Georgia.

On the last day of their visit delegation had roundtable for conclusions and feedback. Participants received the certificates.  

The study-tour was held under the projects of UNDP: “Fostering Decentralization and Good Governance at the Local Level” and “Fostering Regional and Local Development in Georgia”.   

The visit of the Georgian delegation was hosted by E-Governance Academy on 11-15 March.