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Abbas Ganbay

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Azerbaijan has emerged as a regional frontrunner in the scope of digital evolution, reads the article "Azerbaijan’s Digital Transformation: The Role of ICIEC" posted by BNN Breaking, Azernews reports.

“In recent years, the government has taken significant steps to promote digitalization and enhancement of ICT infrastructure. The nation’s agenda for digital transformation has the potential to revolutionize its economic landscape and advance the country’s global standing in the digital sector.”

A recent meeting brought about a significant discussion between Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, and a delegation led by Oussama Abdel Rahman Kaissi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).

Highlighting the focus on future ICT and transport projects, the meeting served as a platform to elaborate on the prospective cooperation between ICIEC and the government of Azerbaijan.

This recent meeting serves as a step forward in the pursuit of greater cooperation between ICIEC and Azerbaijan’s government. The collaboration stands to potentially contribute towards achieving Azerbaijan’s digital transformation plans. It envisions the financing of future ICT and transport projects and thus promises to aid the nation’s advancement in the digital sphere.

Azerbaijan is taking steps to become a regional digital hub. It has already secured buy-in from several countries and major companies in the IT space. For example, Italy's largest internet service provider, Sparkle, and Azerbaijan's top wholesale telecommunications operator, AzerTelecom, signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation within the framework of the Digital Silk Way project. The project is aimed at creating a digital telecommunications corridor connecting Europe and Asia via Azerbaijan.

The government of Azerbaijan is also fostering digitalization reforms to improve the domestic digital ecosystem, advance economic welfare, and contribute to the goal of the country becoming a digital hub for the broader region. These reforms include the State Control Information System, Azerbaijan Digital Trade Hub, Electronic Agricultural Information System, an electronic procurement platform, an e-court system, e-health care, e-education, e-social services, e-property and land cadaster systems, and other initiatives.

Azerbaijan is also offering mobile residency (m-Residency) and electronic residency (e-Residency) to interested international entrepreneurs. The former involves a special SIM card that provides the individual with a government-verified electronic identity for online authorization and electronic signatures, while the latter offers the same but with a digital token.

The government of Azerbaijan has also established the Analysis and Coordination Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the first of its kind in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. This public entity is tasked with implementing certain functions of the Davos World Economic Forum.

Azerbaijan is also implementing strategic trans-regional digital mega projects, such as the Digital Silk Way. This initiative aims to construct a modern fiber-optic network connecting Europe through Georgia and Azerbaijan to Central and South Asian markets. The Digital Silk Way will reduce dependence on foreign internet providers, and improve access to various digital services for the 1.8 billion people living in the associated countries.

Azerbaijan's pursuit of becoming a Digital Hub and the link between Europe and Asia is occurring in parallel with Baku's longer-running strategic objectives to become a transit and energy hub. These efforts are creating new opportunities—as well as responsibilities—for Georgia, Kazakhstan, and other Central Asian countries.

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