Tsahkna, who attended an FOC meeting in New York Monday, said: "Technology has revolutionized how we communicate with each other, access information, and interact with the world."

"Estonia is known as a digital state, but it is important to stress that our e-state is built not just on technology, but also on values such as openness, transparency, access to information and inclusion," Tsahkna continued, via a press release, adding that the FOC under Estonia's leadership will contribute to uphold these values.

As FOC chair, Estonia's primary objective will be to share its know-how in building an e-state, which, it is argued, will help to close the digital gap between different countries.

The rise and rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has also made the FOC's work and values even more relevant, the minister added. "AI can only work for the benefit of humanity if it takes human rights into account."

The FOC is a group of 38 governments with the stated aim of working together to advance Internet freedoms. It was launched at a conference of the Dutch Government in The Hague in 2011, and Estonia was one of the 15 founding members.

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