Azernews.Az

The Azerbaijani government plans to invest $3.5 billion in the coming decade in projects in the field of information and communication technologies, Minister Ali Abbasov said at a meeting of Connect Arab Summit 2012 held in Doha, Qatar in early March.

``Even more investment is expected from the private sector, for the increase of whose role advanced financial and investment environment is currently being established in the ICT [sector],`` the minister said.

Abbasov noted that changes continue in the Arab world, in particular, there has been some progress in social and economic development affecting the Gulf countries.

In the countries of North Africa and the countries outside the Gulf there are key unresolved social and economic issues, Abbasov said.

Azerbaijan largely faces similar problems, he said.

Today, there is a digital gap between the two developed continents which falls mainly to Asia and the Pacific, where there are large voids not only in ICT but also in education, science, economy and social spheres.

The problem has frequently been a subject of debate and research at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Regional Commonwealth of Communications, governments, as well as experts.

``To solve this problem all the suggestions and recommendations come down to the high prices and poor integration, poor digital services, including e-education, e-health, e-commerce, the absence of appropriate conditions for investment, and poor quality of education due to the lack of specialized personnel,`` the minister said.

He said in Azerbaijan intensive work is underway to eliminate the problem.

Azerbaijan has implemented a state program on the development of broadband Internet services, creating ``electronic government`` and digital television infrastructure, and the development of space technology.