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Min istry of Economic Affairs and Communications Tete Aasland Minister of Petroleum and Energy Our Ref: 1 5.09.2022 No 24.1-8/2022/5697- of the Kingdom ofNorway 1 Dear Mr. Teie Aasiand The rules-based world order is undergoing a seismic shift on multiple fronts. New challenges and geostrategic imperatives oblige us to revitalize and reconfigure relationships among like-minded democracies and our closest partners. We need mural elarity and carefui stewardship to ensure our future peace and prosperity, and to ward offa future racked with hardship and oppression. The cornmon thread across our shared efforts s connectivity. The immense giobal demand for infrastructure wilI be satisfied. one way or another. We rnust present a united front against authoritariani srn and forge a prosperous, jne lusive, and sustainabi e future—together. These thernes wil! underline this vear’s Tallinn Digital Summit. We will build upon Iast yeafs focus on Trusted Connectivity as a shared conceptuai frarnework for democracies to unite their many connectivity initiatives and to develop digita! and physical infrastructure according to our democratic values and our highest standards. Now we turn to delivering trusted connectivity through trusted partnerships. We will explore the role connectivity plays in fostering giobal security, energy security. cybersecurity and data protection, in the deveioprnent of new technologies and novel digital solutions, as weli as in the reconstructjon of a free and dernocratjc Ukraine. 1 invite OU 10 join me in person at Tailinn Digital Summit 2022 on 10 and 11 October and participate in a discussion on mitigating energy jnsecurity through trusted partnerships and on constructing a new, trusted energy architecture. It would be my honor to host you in Estonia and to benefit frorn your insights. Please find attached to this invitation the concept paper for this year’s Tai! inn Digital Summit. Additional information wiil soon be forthcoming. Suur-Arneerika 1 / 10122 Tallinn / ESTONIA Phone: +372 625 6342 / Fax: +372 631 3660 / E-mail: [email protected] / http://www.mkm.ee The dernocratic world has demonstrated great unity in our response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and against the rules-based world order. Let us translate this unity into tangible results, together. 1 look forward to meeting and welcoming you in Tallinn! Yours sincerely, Riina Sikkut Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure 2(2)  ::::+ +++++ Digital ::::÷ Summit Tallinn Digital Summit 2022 Concept Paper The Tallinn Digital Summit is an annual event hosted by the Estonian Prime Minister that brings together leaders froin like-minded and digitally-advanced countries, international organizations, and the private sector to address the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow, as well as to seize the opportunities on our road toward a connected digital future. Our transition to this digita] future, bullt upon our shared democratic values, has collided ‘ith the grim realities of geopolitics and the malign influence of autocracies. Dernocracies seek to harness the digital transformation to build a future that is more free, prosperous, and sustainable, whereas autocracies seek to exploit technology to inflict coercion both at home and abroad. These opposing approaches are driving a race for technological supremacy. At the heart of this conflict lie trust—our confidence in systerns ofgovernance and in new technologies—and connectivity—physical, digital, and virtual infrastructure. There is now a premium on presenting a united front against authoritarianism and on trusted partnerships, based on common interests, on democratic values, and on the highest standards—the very essence oftrusted connectivity. At last year’s Tallinn Digital Summit, Estonia introduced Trusted Connectivity as a shared conceptual framework to consolidate and amplify the many connectivity initiatives oflike-rninded democracies. This year’s Summit will focus on delivering trusted connectivity through trusted partnerships. The Summit will build bridges among various colmectivity initiatives and elaborate on what constitutes a trusted and secure digital society, as well as on concrete steps for governrnents, financial institutions, international organizations, technical experts, and the private sector to take to ensure our democratic values, our commitments to human freedom and hurnan dignity, and the rules-based international order prevail. We will explore the role of trusted connectivity and trusted partnerships across topics such as giobal stability, supply chains, energy, economic, and cyber security, digital policy, international standards, artificial intelligence, clouds and satellites, digital public goods, and Web 3.0, as well as their role iii the reconstruction ofa free and democratic Ukraine. AlI this necessitates the holistic shaping of the requisite political, institutional, and entrepreneurial ecosystems to increase public and private investments in connectivity, as well as establishing an architecture of trust within the international system, particularly through piurilateral arrangements such as the transatlantic alliance, the G7, and the Quad. The Sumrnit takes place against the backdrop of several mornentous developments. First, man)’ new connectivity initiatives have recently been introduced, including the G7’s Partnership for Giobal Infrastructure and Investment, the EU’s Giobal Gateway, the UK’s Clean Green Initiative, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. Second, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, in conjunction with continuing cybcrattacks against vital infrastructure, have arnply underscored the geopolitical importance of values-based investments into trusted connectivity and of reducing our strategic dependencies on rnalign actors. But new geostrategic imperatives also present an auspicious opportunity to revitalize our cooperation in the face ofshared challenges. Main Topics O Giobal Security: Building trusted partnerships to alleviate geopolitical turmoil. O Energy Security: Decoupling from untrusted partners and seeking trusted alternatives. O Cybersecurity: Enabling collective defense and enhancing resilience through trusted connectivity. O Attracting Investments: Public—private cooperation in delivering trusted connectivity in practice. O Modern Problems Require Modern Solutions: Trusted frameworks and partnerships across the digital domain, including data governance, artificial intelligence, clouds and satellites, and beyond. Practical Information Tallinn Digital Summit 2022 will take place on 10—11 October at the Tallinn Creative Hub. The two days consist ofkeynote speeches and panel discussions. A welcome dinner will be held at the Port ofTallinn Cruise Terminal at the end of the flrst day.