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Nazrin Abdul

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In the rapidly evolving digital era, cybersecurity has become not just a technological issue, but a vital component of economic security, sustainable development, and national competitiveness, said Elnur Aliyev, First Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the CIDC 2025 – Critical Infrastructure Defence Challenge cybersecurity festival, E. Aliyev emphasized the growing importance of robust cyber defense in protecting both public and private sectors.

“In today’s digital world, success in any industry relies on three fundamental components: regulatory mechanisms, technological tools, and human capital,” deputy minister stated.

He highlighted the government's commitment to enhancing the country’s cyber resilience through the implementation of the National Strategy on Information and Cybersecurity for 2023–2027. The strategy outlines key priorities such as: Establishing a national cybersecurity ecosystem; Strengthening the protection of critical information infrastructure; Creating National Cyber Training Centers and specialized laboratories; Expanding public-private partnerships; Investing in cyber talent development.

Elnur Aliyev also pointed to broader national initiatives — including the Digital Development Concept and the forthcoming Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2025–2028) — as essential frameworks driving Azerbaijan’s digital transformation, development of intelligent technologies, and digital sovereignty.

A major component of Azerbaijan’s human capital strategy is the “Coursera National Academy”, a government-led project designed to upskill citizens in digital and cybersecurity fields.

According to Aliyev, nearly 40,000 citizens have enrolled in more than 187,000 online courses, with over 68,000 completions to date. The platform currently offers more than 600 cybersecurity-specific courses, and learners have spent a total of 276,000 hours engaging with the content.

“These figures clearly demonstrate a growing national capacity in digital literacy, technology adoption, and cybersecurity expertise,” he said. “Such projects play a crucial role in strengthening Azerbaijan’s workforce and digital infrastructure.”

Elnur Aliyev concluded by underscoring the need to expand these initiatives, highlighting their positive impact on building a secure and resilient digital future for Azerbaijan.