Estdev

Estonia has supported North Macedonia since 2000. Some time ago, North Macedonia was one of the most progressive creators of e-government solutions among the Western Balkan countries; however, due to the complex political situation, the initiative waned and several systems were not actually implemented or were partially implemented.

The largest projects so far have been aimed at strengthening healthcare and developing e-governance, but when the new government took office in August 2020, the topic of e-governance was raised again, and the experience of Estonia as one of the advocates of e-governance is of interest to the country’s leaders. According to the existing strategy, North Macedonia could develop a long-term cooperation and mentorship model with Estonia, the focus of which would be the exchange of experiences, developing new knowledge in the field of e-government, and making Estonian experts and experience available.

Since 2000, North Macedonia has been supported by Estonian development cooperation in the amount of nearly half a million euros. During this period, 46 projects have been implemented in North Macedonia. There are currently two ongoing projects in North Macedonia.

Global Sustainable Development Goals in North Macedonia

Priority Areas of Estonian Development Cooperation in North Macedonia

• Development of democracy and the implementation of good governance – reducing the costs of citizens in communicating with government agencies; improving the administrative efficiency of the government; increasing the transparency of government agencies; increasing trust in the government; contributing to the fight against corruption.
• Development in the field of education – making education more accessible and raising the overall quality of education, including vocational education, based on Estonian experience.
• Support for entrepreneurship – supporting the development and innovation of small businesses, including increasing the competitiveness of young people and women on the labor market.

Relevant Documents

• Estonian Foreign Policy Development Plan 2030
• Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Program 2022-2025 (in Estonian)
• Macedonian ICT sector

Ongoing projects in North-Macedonia