Nortal invites former Estonian Prime Minister Kallas to present at workshop on good governance

Mr. Siim Kallas, the former Estonian Prime Minister and Vice President of the European Commission, shared his experiences on good governance in a workshop aimed at high level Omani government officials.

The highly interactive session led by Mr. Kallas incorporated a very solid case study of the Estonian experience from the period he was in charge of leading the complex governmental reforms at the highest level. Officials from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Health, and other government departments attended the event with the key guest for the afternoon being Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidi, the Minister of Commerce and Industry.

Mr. Kallas, who was first appointed Vice President to the European Commission in 2004 held two integral positions over the course of his tenure, briefed the audience on the policies and legal basis of the best practices of good governance. He also explained the lessons learned from the reforms that took place in Estonia since the country regained its independence in 1992 and which lead to the e-transformation of the whole society, resulting in significant savings on governance costs and raised standard of living for the citizens. He concluded by looking at practical measures of executing good governance.

Mr. Peeter Smitt, Managing Director of Nortal in the Gulf region, said: “We are deeply honoured to have Mr. Siim Kallas here with us today to share his experiences. Mr. Kallas has been the powerhouse behind many complex governmental reforms and his work is a shining example of how to make the public sector perform with increased efficiency and accountability, how investing in technology enables wider and more comfortable access to much needed services,” Mr. Smitt concluded.

The multinational IT company Nortal has assisted numerous countries in the field of e-governance, including Qatar, Oman, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Nigeria, Botswana and Moldova in providing better services to their citizens and businesses. Nortal began its operations in the Gulf in 2008 and established a local subsidiary in 2011. Today it considers Oman to be one of its home markets with a strong onsite presence.