The Estonian Ambassador shares what it’s like to represent Estonia in five countries at once, and highlights the main directions for cooperation between Central Asia and Europe.
Jaap Ora, city — Astana, Ambassador of Estonia to the Republic of Kazakhstan
About myself
I dreamed of becoming a diplomat since school and that’s when I became interested in international relations. I grew up in Estonia under Soviet occupation, and my family always held dear the idea of national independence. My goal was to become a diplomat for an independent Estonia and represent the country’s interests and values internationally.
I earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Tartu and in 1996 enrolled in a master’s program in international relations at the University of Cambridge. In 2008-2009, I studied at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and the University of Geneva.
In 2000, I joined the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I clearly remember the pride I felt on my first day — being part of the MFA was a tremendous honor. I still feel that way, especially now, serving as Ambassador. It is the highest recognition a diplomat can receive in their career.
About activities
My first foreign posting was in London from 2002 to 2005. It was an exciting time — Estonia joined both the EU and NATO, and hosted the Eurovision Song Contest.
I’ve held various roles at the MFA headquarters and Estonian embassies. From 2015 to 2024, I served at the European External Action Service, representing the European Union as a whole. I worked in Brussels, Baku, Bishkek, and Riyadh, covering security policy, the EU’s Eastern Partnership, the Gulf region, Western Europe, North America, and Asia.
Our embassy is based in Astana and accredited to five countries in the region: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. My duties include strengthening bilateral ties, engaging with government bodies, businesses, civil society, and the media, and promoting cooperation in political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian fields — including education and tourism.
On Central Asia
I arrived in Astana on September 1, 2024. I had already lived and worked in Central Asia: from 2015 to 2018, I was with the EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan, first as Deputy Head of Mission, later as Chargé d’Affaires.
Since I’m responsible for five Central Asian countries, my work requires frequent travel — not just to capitals but to the regions as well.
So far, I’ve visited Almaty, Petropavlovsk, Pavlodar, Kostanay, Shymkent, Turkistan, Taraz, and Ust-Kamenogorsk. I’ve noticed how different Kazakhstan’s regions are in terms of climate and economic activity. But I’ve been impressed everywhere by the ambition and energy of the people.
The populations of all Central Asian countries are very young, giving the region enormous potential. I believe special attention must be given to ensuring access to quality education. I’m inspired by the desire to build strong, stable, and prosperous nation-states — something visible in Kazakhstan and across the region.
We’re also seeing more regional dialogue among the five countries. There’s a shared commitment to tackling common challenges like water management and transportation development.
In all countries, I’ve been touched by the warmth, generosity, and hospitality of the people. I deeply admire the richness of local traditions.
Estonians are a music-loving nation. I see that people in Kazakhstan also love to create and listen to music. The interest in traditional music here is particularly moving. Young people are preserving and passing it on. At the same time, there is a strong tradition of classical music education. We have a warm relationship with the Astana Opera, whose leadership often invites us to performances.
On work in Central Asia
Estonia and Kazakhstan share a long history of diplomatic relations. Across the region, I feel a friendly and welcoming attitude toward Estonia. Our cooperation is also reinforced by Estonia’s membership in the EU and NATO. We support strategic-level development of EU-Central Asia relations.
First, we share an interest in promoting security and stability — both regionally and globally.
Second, economic cooperation. Expanding trade and investment benefits both sides. Estonia and Kazakhstan have long-standing ties in transport and logistics. Estonian ports are ideal partners for Kazakh businesses looking to export goods by sea — particularly bulk goods like grain and fertilizers.
Companies on both sides are actively seeking partners who can supply the necessary equipment and products. Business forums and delegation visits are held regularly. Trade is currently stable, but the potential is much greater.
A third important area is digitalization and innovation. Estonia is a global pioneer in this field and was one of the first countries to implement digital solutions. We’ve shared our expertise with both public and private sector professionals throughout Central Asia.
Two countries — Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan — have adopted Estonia’s X-Road platform as the foundation of their e-government systems. This is part of the e-Estonia concept, which enables the delivery of digital services and simplifies data exchange between systems.
Estonian companies are also active in e-health, educational technologies, and using mobile data analytics to inform government policy. Both Estonia and Central Asian governments are pushing forward with AI initiatives — creating new opportunities for cooperation.
Another key area is education. Estonia has made significant strides in creating an inclusive, high-quality education system. Our students rank first in Europe on PISA tests and among the global top performers. Education specialists in several Central Asian countries are showing interest in our approach.
In higher education, our universities successfully collaborate under the Erasmus+ program. One of our Embassy’s goals is to better understand the higher education systems in Central Asia, promote study and research opportunities in Estonia, and facilitate institutional partnerships.
This year, we are celebrating the Year of the Estonian Book — marking the 500th anniversary of the first book printed in Estonian in 1525. In this context, we are partnering with the National Academic Library of Kazakhstan to mark the occasion locally. We plan to open an Estonian corner in the National Library and celebrate the anniversary with an exhibition.