Promoting Enterprise Digitalisation in Azerbaijan

Creating framework conditions for SME digitalisation

Providing digital infrastructure and ensuring regulatory frameworks aligned with the latest global trends are crucial for the digital transformation of economies. Successful uptake of digital technologies by firms and households depends, in particular, on:

• Digital infrastructure: High-quality communications infrastructure is essential to embark on the digital transformation. Accessible, affordable and reliable internet connection is essential to enable people and companies to participate in the digital economy.

• Regulatory framework: Fostering digital transformation calls for a regulatory framework that will stimulate investment into digital infrastructure, ensure a safe digital environment (data privacy and cybersecurity), support e-commerce and provide digital platforms for government-to-business (G2B) and business-to-business (B2B) communication.

• Digital skills: Adequate digital skills amongst the population are essential to ensure that digital transformation benefits all and avoids exacerbating existing inequalities. Skills for digital transformation involve a range of foundational competences, including literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills (OECD, 2020[23]).

Digital infrastructure in Azerbaijan has improved, but regional differences still exist

Digital infrastructure refers to technologies that provide the foundation for reliable connection and digital operations. Physical infrastructures such as data centres, fibre optic cables and mobile phone towers are essential for providing access to broadband connection (OECD, 2018[24]). The pandemic accelerated the demand for investing in online communities and digital infrastructure, placing connectivity high on the agenda for businesses whose operations were negatively affected by lockdowns. Gaps in digitalisation are particularly persistent between urban and rural areas, the latter of which in Azerbaijan have less digital infrastructure in place to allow for digital transformation.

Access to broadband internet in Azerbaijan improved over the last decade, increasing from 5.26 per 100 population in 2010 to 19.68 in 2020 (see Figure 11).

Figure 11. Evolution of broadband subscriptions in EaP countries

Source: (ITU, 2021[25]).

Note: Median values for OECD and EU-8 (Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Poland).

A discernible digital divide still exists in Azerbaijan, with different levels of broadband connectivity between rural and urban regions. These gaps can be attributed to shortages of required infrastructure, as well as lower levels of digital literacy and skills in rural areas of the country (Asian Development Bank, 2019[26]). In 2019, more than half of all enterprises in Baku had internet access, compared with as little as a third of enterprises in some rural regions (see Figure 12).

Figure 12. Evolution of enterprises with internet access in Azerbaijan by region (%)

Source: (The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2019[21]).

Even though mobile broadband subscriptions have increased substantially over the last decade and 99% of households have access to mobile phones, Azerbaijan has only 70 mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 population, well below the OECD average (112) (see Figure 13).

Figure 13. Evolution of mobile broadband subscriptions in EaP countries

Note: Median values for OECD and EU-8 (Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Poland). Data are not available for Ukraine for 2019.

Source: (ITU, 2021[25]).

In 2017, the most recent year for which ICT Development Scores were published by International Telecommunications Union, Azerbaijan’s ICT Development Index score was 6.2. It ranked third among EaP countries, behind Belarus and Moldova with ICT Development Index scores of 7.55 and 6.45, respectively. Azerbaijan’s score breakdown shows that it lags behind in number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (17.52) and fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (18.58) (see Figure 14).

Figure 14. Azerbaijan ICT Development Index (2017)

Source: (ITU, 2021[25]).

In terms of barriers to foreign direct investment (FDI) in telecommunications, Azerbaijan’s score is lower than the OECD average on the OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index, which means that, at least in terms of statutory restrictions, Azerbaijan is more open to FDI than the OECD average. There are few formal barriers to FDI in Azerbaijan, and market conditions are comparable with most open OECD economies.

An independent national regulatory body (NRA) for the telecommunications sector is important to promote objective and well-reasoned decision making, as well as to foster fair market competition, as a regulator’s source of funding can influence its level of autonomy and create an uneven playing field. An independent NRA for telecommunications and ICTs usually obtains funding through legislative and budgetary allocations, which in turn allows for transparency in identifying budget requirements and allocating finances.

In October 2021, Azerbaijan established the Information and Communication Technologies Agency which acts as a national regulatory authority under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.1 It is essential to ensure that the Regulatory Authority is independent, meaning it is not affected by political or market influence and obtains funding through legislative and budgetary allocations, which in turn allows for transparency in identifying budget requirements and allocating finances. It is also important for promoting market openness (ITU, 2020[27]).

Azerbaijan has reformed its regulatory framework for digitalisation, but significant gaps remain

Trust and security

Inadequate security measures can have far-reaching consequences for SME operations resulting in financial damage, loss of reputation and consumer trust (OECD, 2021[19]). The most common types of digital security threats include phishing, malware and ransomware (OECD, 2020[23]). Implementing digital security measures is crucial for protecting organisations and customers against cyberattacks.

Azerbaijan ranks 40^th in the Global Cybersecurity Index 2020 published by the International Telecommunication Union. Its highest scores are for Legal Measures and Co-operative Measures, while its lowest is Organisational Measures (see Figure 15). Overall, Azerbaijan is the best performer among the EaP countries and ranks third in the CIS region (after Kazakhstan and Russian Federation) (ITU, 2021[25]).

Figure 15. Global Security Index scores for Azerbaijan, 2020

Source: ITU (2020), Global Cybersecurity Index 2020, https://www.itu.int/epublications/publication/global-cybersecurity-index-2020/en/.

Azerbaijan has not adopted a national cybersecurity strategy, but some policy objectives in this field are defined in the National Strategy on the Development of the Information Society (2014 -2020) as well as in the ICT Roadmap (2016-2020). Currently, there is not any strategic policy document in place that would define mid-term policy priorities in the area of cybersecurity. The preparation of the National Strategy on information Security and Сyber security for 2022-2027 years is ongoing.2

In 2012, the Electronic Security Service (ESS) was established under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport as the main public entity responsible for policy co-ordination, awareness raising and prevention of cyberattacks. The ESS co-ordinates the activities of information infrastructure entities in the field of cyber security, takes measures in cases of illegal collection, processing and non-protection of personal data, informs the country about current and potential electronic threats, educates public, private and other organizations in the field of cyber security and provides them with methodological assistance. It also collects and analyses information from users, software and hardware producers, notifies about the cybersecurity risks, implements preventive measures and provides recommendations and instructions.

The Computer Emergency Response Centre under the Special Communication and Information Security State Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan plays an important role in the fight against cyber threats. It gathers information about cyberattacks and renders assistance to public and private sector to prevent them. The Centre also provides information support about existing cyber risks.

In terms of programmes to promote digital security, most activities are related to the organisation of public events and workshops. For example, the annual International Cyber Security Week organised by the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport aims at creating a platform to promote implementation of digital security measures by companies and public sector entities, increasing digital security awareness, creating appropriate methodological tools to implement cyber-security measures and improving co-ordination between the private and public sectors in this field (Azintelecom, 2020[28]). In 2015, the Ministry established the Cyber Academy – an initiative promoting cyber-security awareness and skills among companies, workers and the general population. There are also a number of private sector initiatives aiming to build awareness and foster implementation of digital security measures. However, public institutions do not currently implement comprehensive programmes that would provide SMEs with the tools and skills required to effectively face cybersecurity challenges as existing initiatives are either one-off or low-scale and do not have the ability to reach a critical mass of SMEs.

E-signature

Electronic signatures are essential for companies moving their operations online, allowing them to meet the legal and contractual requirements for maintaining integrity online without paperwork. Examples of e-signatures include simple photocopies or a physical signature, or more complex structures such as verified signatures, which use mathematical algorithms to establish the identity of the signatory. Functionally, e-signatures are recognised as equal to physical signatures (OECD, 2021[13]). The e-signature is a valuable digital tool for businesses and customers, and is considered one of the main attributes of a successful digital transformation. The use of e-signatures goes hand-in-hand with a robustly developed digital culture. In Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport is responsible for the implementation of e-signatures (E-Gov, 2021[29]).

In 2004, the government passed the Law on Digital Electronic Signature which required e-signatures in Azerbaijan to be certified by an organisation approved by the Ministry Digital Development and Transport. However, there are many challenges with certifications due to the low level of e-commerce penetration in the country. There is also low interest in innovative financial technologies, such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Digital identification exists based on SIM cards, which have become very useful for identifying those who access online government services (Asian Development Bank, 2019[26]).

In 2011, the National Certificate Services Centre of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport was launched with the purpose to provide services to citizens, legal entities, entrepreneurs and civil servants. Registration centres were organised in major central post offices and branches in Baku city, and post offices in the country’s regions as well as through the E-İmza website (http://e-imza.az/).

Between 2011 and 2020, a total of 245 848 e-signature certificates were issued through the centre, to citizens, government agencies and legal entities. The majority of certificates were issued to government entities, while private citizens made up the smallest percentage of those having received e-signature certificates, indicating limited use of e-signature among entrepreneurs and the general population (National Certification Services Centre, 2018[30]).3

In addition, citizens are able to use Asan İmza (Mobile ID), which is a mobile identity card that can be used when using electronic services and digital signature verification. Asan İmza works as a SIM card for mobile phones and contains electronic certificates similar in function to identification cards, allowing users to perform all online activities. In order to use the service, citizens have to buy a special SIM card and use their mobile ID on a compatible website, or other devices for authentication and digital signature. The system is implemented according to Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and launched by mobile operators in co-operation with the ASAN Certification Services Centre (ASXM).

E-commerce

E-commerce enables SMEs to expand their customer and supplier bases, thus providing access to new markets. This became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, as e-commerce enabled SMEs to not only retain sales and revenue amidst lockdowns, but also to increase their customer bases, create economies of scale through network effects, and improve cost efficiency (OECD, 2021[19]).

E-commerce in Azerbaijan nevertheless remains underdeveloped: in 2017, only 5% of customers in Azerbaijan purchased something via the internet, compared to a world average of 24%. In 2016, retail e-commerce accounted for 0.04% of GDP. Despite almost doubling between 2016 and 2017 (from AZN 25.6 million to AZN 46 million), retail e-ecommerce is still low compared to neighbouring countries. The State Programme on Expansion of Digital Payments for 2018-2020 reported that the share of e-commerce in retail sales in 2018 was only 0.2% (Centre for Analysis on Economic Reforms and Communication, 2018[31]). Despite being in an early stage of development, e-commerce sales growth in the EaP is expected to surpass the European average, with Azerbaijan reaching 4.6% growth in 2022 (see Figure 16).

Figure 16. Size of e-commerce market in EaP countries

Source: OECD calculations based on e-commerce market size estimates from (Statista, 2021[32]). GDP estimates from (IMF, 2021[33]).

Azerbaijan ranks 68th out of 144 countries on the business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce index. This low ranking reflects low penetration of e-payments, a shortage of domestic online shops, underdeveloped logistics, lack of trust by both buyers and sellers, low digital literacy, and high costs associated with international credit card payment networks (Asian Development Bank, 2019[26]).

Cash payments are still prevalent in Azerbaijan, and the lack of a digital banking culture prevents the development of e-commerce. For example, in 2017 less than 5% of population older than 15 years used internet to buy something online and less than 10% used internet to pay bills (see Figure 17).

Figure 17. Use of digital financial services in the EaP countries

Source: (World Bank, 2017[34]).

When comparing the state of affairs on e-commerce in Azerbaijan vs. in the EU, some gaps in practices stand out. Most notably, global e-commerce marketplaces are not directly available in Azerbaijan, and the businesses and customers have a poorer awareness on how to use cross-border platforms and have low levels of digital skills. While businesses and customers from Azerbaijan buy and sell in the EU, poor digital literacy constitutes a barrier to using global marketplaces that are operating in the EU. Furthermore, there are gaps in payment methods usage. Digital wallets are not common in Azerbaijan, marketplaces do not use global payment gateways to process payments, and the digital platform PayPal is available in the country only to make payments to others, not to receive payments (EU4Digital, 2021[35]).

The Law on E-Commerce regulates all areas of e-commerce except the financial market, insurance and securities market. The Law on Electronic Signature and Electronic Document was first adopted in 2004 and last updated in 2018. Unlike EaP countries that have Association Agreements with the European Union (EU) (Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia) and are aligning their e-commerce legislation in line with EU standards, Azerbaijan does not have such requirements (EU4Digital, 2021[35]).

Azerbaijan started to implement a number of measures to support the uptake of e-commerce under the State Programme on Expansion of Digital Payments in the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2018-2020. For example, the central bank launched an instant payment system, which should improve access to online payment services and a new law on Law on Payment Services and Payment Systems is expected to create a sound legal framework (Central Bank of Azerbaijan, 2021[36]). In addition, measures were implemented to increase the potential of “Azerpost” (https://www.azerpost.az) for accurate and timely delivery of items purchased by customers from the internet by integration with worldwide sales networks such as Amazon and Alibaba, as well as world’s leading transport and logistics companies such as DHL and TNT. In addition, under the Azexport platform (https://azexport.az/), Azerbaijan is developing cross-border digital trade through partnerships with some of the world’s largest e-commerce companies. To conclude, the SMBDA has established an e-commerce platform (www.kobmarket.az) to support SMEs in making their prodicts known and available to a wider costumer base.

E-government services

Using digital platforms to provide e-government services provides unprecedented opportunity to simplify administrative and bureaucratic processes, improve public access to information on administrative requirements, reduce opportunities for corruption, and cut the time required to perform administrative functions. It can also provide SMEs with incentives to further technology adoption (OECD, 2020[37]).

The government has made significant progress in expanding e-government services. Improvements have been made allowing company registration, business licensing, public procurement, customs and visa application procedures to be completed online (OECD, 2019[38]). Azerbaijan’s score on the United Nations (UN) E-Government Index increased in the last decade from 0.45 to 0.71 (see Figure 18). Across the three sub-categories of the E-Government Index – the online services index, the telecommunication infrastructure index and the human capital index – Azerbaijan achieved scores of 0.7, 0.65 and 0.77, respectively, in 2020, compared to 0.32, 0.13 and 0.91 in 2010. This indicates that while government’s efforts to reform e-government services have brought improvements, more progress is required, especially in the area of human capital index, as the score for this particular subsection has declined since 2010 (UN, 2021[39]).

Figure 18. UN E-Government Development Index for EaP countries

Note: The e-government development index incorporates access characteristics, such as the infrastructure and educational levels, to reflect how a country is using information technologies to promote access and inclusion of its people.

Source: (UN, 2021[39]).

In March 2018, Azerbaijan established an e-government portal (https://www.e-gov.az/) that provides access to over 500 government services for the general population and companies. These government services range in the areas of social protection, social security, education, health, communication, online payments, customs, legal, tax and other services. The portal was identified as best practice in the region by the World Bank, as it significantly expanded online services to SMEs (OECD, 2019[38]). However, like other EaP countries, Azerbaijan has not yet reached the high level of inter-operability required to transition to full digitalisation, meaning there is not enough information exchange between different digitalised services (OECD, 2020[37]).

The e-SMB House Portal (https://e-smb.gov.az/) is an electronic system operating as part of the SMBDA. The Portal is a unified platform of SME houses, and is a valuable tool for SMEs to access public electronic services and maintain their accounting records. The Portal can be used to pay customs duties, and make payments for services and G2B services. Finally, via the Portal, entrepreneurs are able to use various financial B2B services such as banking, insurance and consulting.

Low levels of digital skills limit adoption of digital solutions

The promotion of digital skills is essential to enable citizens and entrepreneurs to participate in, and contribute to, an increasingly digitalised world. It is a prerequisite for making labour markets more inclusive, as ICT literacy is generally associated with higher labour market participation and wages. The transition to a truly digital business culture is not possible without an adequately skilled workforce, which possesses digital foundation skills, such as the ability to use digital technologies. To design policies that bridge the digital divide and prepare for the digital transformation, policy makers must understand which types of skills help people get the most out of digital technologies, enable their diffusion and increase their impact on productivity. In this regard, four main categories emerge:

• Foundation skills, such as literacy and numeracy, enabling the development and acquisition of higher order cognitive skills needed for the digital economy. These foundation skills will help individuals navigate through an environment of fast and ever-changing technologies, as well as increasingly long working lives.

• Generic digital skills for all workers, related to the use of digital technologies for professional purposes such as accessing information online or using software.

• Advanced technical skills for digital specialists (e.g. skills needed for the production of IT products and services such as programming, developing applications, managing networks).

• Complementary skills to work in a digitalised environment, including cognitive skills, interpersonal skills (information processing, self-direction, problem solving, communication), as well as managerial and organisational skills.

Digital skills in general population

A lack of digital skills continues to pose a significant barrier to digital transformation in Azerbaijan. While more than 65% of the population possesses basic ICT skills allowing them to perform digital operations such as sending an e-mail or copying files, Azerbaijan significantly lags behind its regional peers and OECD countries with regards to the share of population with standard and advanced digital skills. Only 0.7% of the population possess advanced ICT skills, which include knowledge of programming languages and the ability to write a computer programme. This is considerably lower than the EU-8 and OECD averages of 4.4% and 6.8%, respectively (ITU, 2021[40]) (see Figure 19).

Acquiring digital skills by self-teaching remains the most prevalent method to acquire ICT skills in Azerbaijan, indicating the limited ability of education system to equip its population with relevant digital skills. In terms of knowledge acquisition, 32.4% of respondents – nearly a third – reported that they acquired their digital skills through learning-by-doing, 26.8% reported educational institutions, 12.1% had acquired them through training courses, and 5.5% reported having gained digital literacy skills through vocational training (The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2019[21]).

Figure 19. ICT skills in EaP countries

Note: Basic ICT skills are defined as the ability to copy or move files and folders, use copy and paste tools to duplicate and move information within a document, send e-mails with attached files and transfer files from computers and devices.

Source: (ITU, 2021[40]).

The lack of digital skills limits citizens’ use of the internet. In a survey conducted by the State Statistical Committee in 2019, 21.8% of respondents reported “lack of skills” as the primary reason for not having an internet access at home: the second biggest obstacle after the costs related to IT equipment (32.2%) (see Figure 20).

Figure 20. Reasons for unavailability of home internet access

Source: (State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan, 2020[5]).

The education system can play a crucial role in fostering digital skills

The foundations for digital skills are laid in schools, starting with primary education. However, with rapidly evolving technologies, overly specialised skills tend to become obsolete over time and curricula are rarely flexible enough to allow for ongoing changes (OECD, 2020[41]). Therefore the emphasis should be given to development of foundational skills (literacy and numeracy) and should be complemented by targeted digital literacy educational programmes. According to OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which measures 15-year-olds’ ability to use their reading, mathematics and science knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges, Azerbaijan’s students performed below the EaP and OECD averages in all the areas (see Figure 21). It is important to note that only students from Baku participated in the 2018 PISA assessment.

Figure 21. OECD PISA 2018 results

Note: Data for Armenia is not available.

Source: OECD, PISA 2018 Database.

While there is a number of initiatives supporting development of digital skills (see the following section), Azerbaijan did not put in place a dedicated educational framework for fostering digital skills from initial schooling onwards. Azerbaijan lags behind the OECD average in the number of computers available per student: whereas the computer-student ratio in schools was 0.8 for OECD countries in 2018 – meaning there was almost one computer available at school for every 15-year-old student – the ratio was just over 0.5 in Baku.4 This is lower than in Ukraine, but greater than in other EaP countries (see Figure 22).

Figure 22. Number of computers per student at school (2018)

Source: (OECD, 2018[42]).

Looking at the higher education system, the statistics for recent graduates with university degrees indicate a high degree of acquisition of digital skills. In 2019, over half (53.9%) of new graduates with a Bachelor’s degree in Azerbaijan received a degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) field. Some 21.5% of new graduates received a degree in “technical and technological”, 20.8% in “economics and management”, 3.7% in “natural sciences” and 7.9% in “health, welfare and services” (The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2019[21]). Nevertheless, current 15-year old high-school students in Azerbaijan, show low interest in work as ICT professionals in the future compared to their peers in OECD and other EaP countries (see Figure 23).

Figure 23. ICT graduate rates and expectations to work as ICT professionals

Note: Students expecting to work as ICT professionals at 30 y.o. (% of 15 year olds).

Source: (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2019[43]) -Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from ICT programmes (2019; 2017 for Belarus); (OECD, 2018[42]).

Building digital skills is among policy priorities

Digital skills and competences are to a certain extent reflected in policies and strategies that relate to all levels of education in Azerbaijan (primary, secondary and tertiary) including vocational education and training (VET). The Law on Education regulates the roles of the state and education institutions in delivering it. Digital skills are embedded in the existing legislation (national qualifications framework), general education legislation, as one of the key competences for VET and lifelong learning. The NQF for Lifelong Learning, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in 2018, outlines digital skills in all levels of education (ETF, 2020[44]).

In terms of promoting digital skills development, the Strategic Roadmap for Development of Telecommunication and Information Technologies acknowledges the necessity of enhancing digital skills. It envisages converting to e-schools, meaning a more extensive use of electronic books and seminars, open-access educational materials, distance learning and website-based exams; creating ICT courses for teachers to keep up with the rapidly increasing demand for digital skills, and updating the evaluation of ICT skills of graduates and teachers. The Ministry of Education has also created a digital teaching material platform that contains electronic versions of books and other curriculum materials, as well as a curriculum management information system. It has also introduced a digital skills pilot programme at secondary schools, aiming to introduce coding and programming languages as part of compulsory curriculum for students. Table 4 provides examples of initiatives promoting digital skills development in Azerbaijan.5

Table 4. Main initiatives to promote digital skills development amongst the general population

Initiative	Responsible Institution	Description
Digital Skills Project	Ministry of Education	Skills project for students in secondary schools involved 6 500 students in 45 schools in Baku in the 2017-2018 academic year. In 2019, 26 000 5th and 6th grade students from 71 schools were involved in the project in Baku and Ganja. Also under this project, 23 500 students from 65 different schools in Baku and 2 500 students from 6 schools in Ganja are studying computer science in an updated format, which gives students a solid foundation of algorithmic thinking and logic, design skills and programming.
Information-Communication Technologies Application and Training Centre	Ministry of Digital Development and Transport	Provides training and ICT application services to the population, as well as to public and private enterprises. In 2017, the Centre established the “E-Government” project for young people, and in 2019 the number of students studying at the Centre exceeded 1 000. The Centre provides four types of training programmes: certified trainings (Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, CompTIA); professional trainings (MS Office, Project Management, ICT Network/System; Programming); corporate trainings (digital skills and other programmes); and ICT lab organised corporate training programmes.
Innovation and Digitalisation Agency Azerbaijan	Ministry of Digital Development and Transport	Offers STEM courses to children and students. Courses provide participants with fundamental skills in robotics, science, technology, engineering, chemistry, mathematics, programming and digital art. The Agency has been operating since 2012, having been established by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan with the purpose of ensuring sustainable development and competitiveness of the economy, and the expansion of Azerbaijan’s ICT sector. The Agency was established through the reorganization and in the form of a merger of the National Nuclear Research Center CJSC, public legal entity Innovation Agency and High Technologies Research Center under the Ministry.
Public-private initiatives	n.a.	BP, Alqoritmika and leading banks operating in Azerbaijan play an important role in digital skills development through supporting ICT training programs and establishment of their own IT academies.

Source: (Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan, 2019[45]); (Innovation and Digitalisation Agency Azerbaijan, 2021[46]).

Notes

← 1.  The Information and Communication Technologies Agency is a public legal entity that carries out certification, accounting, regulation and control in the field of information and communication technologies (including quality control), as well as regulation of interconnection between telecommunication operators and radio spectrum management.

← 2.  In September 2009, Azerbaijan signed the Convention on Cybercrime, also known as the Budapest Convention. The Budapest Convention is a framework that permits practitioners from the Parties to share experience and create relationships that facilitate cooperation.

← 3.  In the framework of the new e-Government infrastructure of Azerbaijan, the “ASAN Login” system was developed, a Single Sign-On System created by the E-GOV Development Center (EGDC) to facilitate access to e-services provided by public and private organizations through one integrated portal.

← 4.  Nation-wide data unavailable.

← 5.  The “Strategy on social-economic development for 2022-2026” was developed in the context of “Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities on the social-economic development”. Encouraging the increase of competitive human capital and of space for modern innovations was identified as a priority, and one of the main related goals is fostering a “creative and innovative society”. Moreover, on the basis of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on “Improvement of the management in the sphere of digital transformation” dated 27 April 2021 No 1325 the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.elaborated the project “the Conception of digital transformation in the Republic of Azerbaijan”.