About the lecturer
- The British ambassador in Tallinn
- COO of the Embassy (counselling: how is the embassy running?)
- Commonwealth & Development Office
- Studied International Relations but ambassadors come from very different backgrounds: theology, physics, etc
- Diplomatic service requires diverse skills from different fields: foreign affairs, climate policy, regulatory policy (at first you have no idea what you are doing)
The UK relationship with Estonia from a perspective of conflict/dispute/cooperation
Before you start anything in life, it is important to make sure your values are clear
- At one point the values of an organisation may be in conflict with yours (not a place for you then)
Uk and Estonia have a long history of good relations
- Military cooperation & security defence relations
- British navy in the first independence of Estonia
- Military troops in Estonia today: the biggest overseas (changing every 6 months)
- NATO
We`re not just about the army
We`re here how Estonia / Baltics / Eastern Europe / NATO
- Big access in Estonia
- Huge interest from London (headquarters): 2 prime-minister visits; 2 ministers of defence and armed forces visits; visit of the head of the Labour Party etc (usually about 3 visits in 10 years)
- It is easy to do business in Estonia: we are like-minded
- The lobby is not needed: it is likely Estonia is on the same side
- Integrated review: foreign policy review- what we want to do as a government in the next 5 years (mentions Baltics; in 2022 we have the closest relationship than ever)
- We have tanks (most of the spending), tech, and trade
1. Tanks
Estonia leads the way: “Do not believe Russia”
- Acting front
- Being called hysterical even by the Nordic Nabours
“The notion that the time of Stalin’s and Hitler’s is over is dangerous”
- Do not diminish anybody’s strength or right to be where you are by their size: it is important to understand the context, history, and where they are coming from
“The skill of diplomacy and negotiation is a life skill”
- The biggest military support to Ukraine
- Quick reaction to and welcoming of the Ukrainian refugees
2. Tech
Estonia
- The largest number of unicorns per capita
- E-residency; can do everything online except for marrying and divorce
- In 1991 we did not have a choice and saw everything as an opportunity for development
The UK
- Having a debate about having ID cards; no digitised health
- There are a lot of lessons we can learn from each other
- Opportunities to cooperate in the cyberspace and data
3. Trade
Climate and environment
- COP Glasgow 2021
- UK initiative about ocean alliance: expertise offshore
- No competition, it’s about cooperation in this space
“It is about being able to amplify your expertise”
Education
- PISA studies: first in Europe
- Literacy rate of 100%
Estonia on a global stage: Estonian Size as One of Its Superpowers
- Little corruption: smaller systems are easier
- No history of being a colonial power/occupier; very important, when you are on the global stage (the context matters): having a more credible voice
Eesti 
English (UK)