A policy turning Azerbaijan into driving force behind global challenges
By Mazahir Afandiyev
It's no secret that the post-pandemic and post-war eras of the world are not the same as they were. The expansion of digitalization tendencies is one of the primary characteristics of the new system. Even prior to the current era, the state placed a high priority on ensuring that our nation is well-prepared for this global issue, and the government has consistently taken action in this regard.
President Ilham Aliyev's determination was important in the successful implementation of several innovative projects in our nation; digitization, efficiency, accountability, and transparency were identified as critical factors. Due to the foresightful policies of the nation's leadership, these timely implementation efforts and their ongoing positive impact are the outcome of the ambition to make Azerbaijan one of the driving forces behind global challenges.
The state leader's July 13, 2013, decree on the establishment of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan is a significant step in the direction of comprehensive institutional reforms in public administration. Based on the most up-to-date knowledge and acknowledged by respected international organisations and the global community, the state agency "ASAN Service" has been effectively offering public services for over a decade. To date, the centres have reviewed the appeals of over 66 million citizens.
With the scale, volume, complexity, and changes brought about by digitalization being so different from everything that has happened to humans before, the idea of "ASAN Service" is a clear illustration of the enormous potential for the growth of the digital economy ecosystem in Azerbaijan. "I want to emphasise again, as I have done so many times, that this is a true revolution in the sphere of public services. Asan Service is an intellectual product of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani brand. The product that we currently export," President Ilham Aliyev said.
The ASAN Service Centres improve the management system in this area and represent a unique single-window model that allows citizens to use 400 services provided by 15 public and 30 private organisations "under one roof." They also coordinate the activities of employees of central or local executive authorities, budgetary organisations, and state legal entities, including public legal entities created on behalf of the state. They have laid a strong foundation for the development of the new strategy to guarantee public satisfaction and the establishment of citizen-government relations at a completely new standard in the nation.
This idea has generated a lot of interest internationally and has grown to be Azerbaijan's exclusive intellectual property over time. Thus, more than 20 memoranda of understanding have been reached with different nations and international organisations to date in order to exchange experience in areas related to innovation. Additionally, ASAN Service has been recognised as a winner in several international nominations as a commendable model of providing public services, emphasising its significant role in both achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the advancement of human rights.
By Decree of President Ilham Aliyev dated September 23, 2016, a public legal entity called "ABAD" (ASAN Support to Family Business) was established to ensure the sustainability of the achieved successes as well as the introduction of innovations and new technological opportunities in the field of small business. In addition to encouraging the growth of micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, raising the employment rate of the populace, and creating successful family farms, the creation of folk crafts was encouraged, therefore highlighting the many areas of the nation. The establishment of ABAD increased the amount of tax money going to the state budget and established a tradition of new economic ties throughout the nation. It also serves as a glaring example of President Ilham Aliyev's prudent, well-considered strategy towards the localization and integration of processes occurring in a world that is becoming more interconnected.
The establishment of "ASAN Volunteers" in tandem with the work being done is much valued by the national populace and supports the volunteer movement's efforts as well as Azerbaijan's youth policy. The successful synthesis of managerial traditions from the East and the West is revealed through the implementation of various local and international projects, the full participation of volunteers in public service, and their preservation of traditions inherited from Heydar Aliyev's ideology, which leads to citizen satisfaction in the service sector.
President Ilham Aliyev has, on the whole, been the most innovative member of the Azerbaijani nation throughout the previous 20 years. Azerbaijan has formed a new culture, as seen by our nation's efforts to localize the world's most advanced challenges in integration, modernization, and renovation. These efforts are the foundation of all of our recent triumphs.
As a result, the consistent actions taken and the sustainable policy put in place have allowed the President of Azerbaijan to carry out the 2020 decision, which is based on the standards and precepts of international law. However, this also shows that Azerbaijan is currently only a global messenger of peace, tranquility, and sustainable development.
Mazahir Afandiyev is a member of the Milli Majlis (the Azerbaijani Parliament).
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