Building a sovereign cloud together for the entire government

The Dutch government is prioritizing digital sovereignty by building a sovereign cloud for the entire public sector. This initiative, led by the Cloud acceleration team, addresses the increasing dependency on foreign cloud providers, which poses vulnerabilities due to evolving geopolitical and technological landscapes. The project aims to give the Netherlands more control and independence over its digital infrastructure. The project is spearheaded by Ron Kolkman, CIO at Rijkswaterstaat, who emphasizes the crucial role of cloud technology in the government's digital infrastructure. The objective is not to build everything in-house, but to make informed choices and set up technology in a way that protects the Netherlands from external influences. The project’s aim is to create a secure cloud environment through a layered approach, considering different security levels and data types. This effort affects all government bodies that rely on digital services and infrastructure. It aims to reduce the risks associated with reliance on external providers, ensuring that crucial digital services are not affected by decisions made by foreign entities. The initiative seeks to establish a "marketplace" where government organizations can select from reliable, secure cloud options. The focus on a sovereign cloud is a move toward digital self-determination, which is essential to safeguarding the government's digital future. The project reflects a broader trend across Europe of increasing emphasis on digital sovereignty and reducing reliance on foreign tech companies.