Azerbaijan, Baku, October 27 / Trend H. Valiyev /
Azerbaijani Communications and IT Minister Ali Abbasov spoke in an interview with Trend .
Trend : How do you assess development rates of Azerbaijani IT sector. What results have been recently achieved in this sphere?
Ali Abbasov: Azerbaijan, as the most dynamic country in the region, has great potential for development of ICT sector now. State policy aimed at comprehensive development of the country, stipulates development of ICT and its widespread introduction. As a result, Azerbaijan took the 60-th place among 134 countries in the report 'Global Information Technologies' on the use of ICT of the World Economic Forum in Davos (WEF) over 2008-2009.
Our country was represented in the WEF report for the first time in 2005-2006, and took the 73-th place. We have moved forward by 13 positions over the last years and became a leader among the CIS countries. It is encouraging that our country is among the first 50 world countries on 24 of 68 indices in this report.
I can also stress that our country joined the first ten countries on the dynamics of development in the report of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2009.
Growth of income in the ICT sector exceeds the world average indices three times for the last years and hit 32 percent annually.
This index demonstrates development in the ICT sector, expansion of the range and quality of information and communication services.
Not only development of the ICT sector and the information infrastructure, but also its massive use and application in all spheres of social and economic life of our country caused these high results.
Q.: What operations are conducted by the agency for development of the Internet in Azerbaijan?
A.: Ensuring of expansion and broad use of the Internet is an integral part of state policy on the overall social and economic development of Azerbaijan.
Today, the Internet is not only communication means, but also the basic tool of business, rendering services and communication.
The Internet is developing by the private sector throughout the history. This activity is not licensed in Azerbaijan. As a result of active interaction between state and private sectors Internet services are available to everyone. The Internet tariffs have reduced 9 times over the last 5 years. As a result, number of users significantly increased. Today, about 37 percent of the population is Internet users. About 30 providers operate in Azerbaijan. Besides traditional method of accessing the Internet, i.e. dial-up, they render services via wireless, broadband communication. Mobile users actively explore the Internet.
Azerbaijan completes with such countries as Japan, South Korea, Singapore by mid-capacity of external channel falling to each Internet user.
Information securing of the national segment of the Internet actively develops together with the technical component.
Number of resources in the national domain zone .az has recently increased several times. Opportunities have been created to render services through information sources.
Q.: When will 3G appear? What operations are conducted in this sphere?
A.: As you know, the mobile communication sector has been widely developed in Azerbaijan. It left behind scleronomic constraint. The range of services and technologies develop each year.
3G technology is widely used within the last years in the world. It meets increasing demands of users. This process is evolutionary. Operators and users must be specially trained for its realization.
Legal basis was created to introduce this technology in Azerbaijan.
Licensing rules have been identified. They reveal the organizational issues of this process.
I think that this service will be available to users in case of preparedness of mobile operators' technical infrastructure.
Q.: What operations are conducted to introduce digital television in Azerbaijan?
A.: Introduction of digital television is a global task set by International Telecommunication Union for all world countries. General transition to this technology of broadcasting must be ensured by 2015. Corresponding work is conducted in Azerbaijan to introduce digital television. Digital broadcasting was tested first in Caucasus and Middle Asia. At present, digital television was launched in experimental exploitation in Baku and the Absheron peninsula. Installation of transmitting stations capable to cover entire Baku and the Absheron peninsula has been completed. Broadcasting of digital television is realized upon MPEG-4 standard. It envisages broadcasting of 10 programs via one channel. But it is beginning of introduction. The state program envisaging stage-by-stage realization has been prepared for its full implementation.
Complete transition to a new technology and switching off analogue broadcasting are planned to be implemented in 2013. Parallel broadcasting will be still used. Operations will be conducted to create necessary technical infrastructure for digital broadcasting in entire populated area of the country, as well as equipping of the population with necessary devices for receiving digital signals.
Q.: At what stage is adoption of the next phase of the state program "Electronic Azerbaijan"? What work is planned to be made at the next stage?
As it is known, the state program "Electronic Azerbaijan" was aimed at achieving the objectives of the National IT Strategy for the Development of Azerbaijan, covering 2003-2012.
The work on its realization was made in 2005-2008. The basis for the tasks of the next phase has been created.
A new state program was prepared on the basis of analysis of the results of the first phase, proposals of the state bodies and taking into account tendencies of the world development.
A: The program is interdepartmental and includes numerous projects on specific industry solutions. Some of them are a continuation of the existing projects and some are new. In general, projects will promote to wider application of ICT in society, formation of "e-government" and broadening of the range of rendered e-services.
Presently, the governmental agencies have implemented a number of e-services that facilitate the people's interaction with them, which proves the need for their widespread introduction. For example, entrepreneurs can submit e-tax declaration and receive immediate answers to questions on taxes given through data resource of the taxes ministry, applicants wishing to enter college or the state service may submit the e-application form, the voters - to clarify information in the electoral lists and etc.
The project has been submitted to the government and passes the fixed consideration procedure.
Q: Which large-scale projects could help enhance the country's international image?
A: Recently, Azerbaijan have implemented a large-scale energy and communication projects and won respect as a reliable partner. By this way, Azerbaijan strengthened its international reputation on the one hand, and also obtained an excellent opportunity for the general promotion of the realities of its domestic and foreign policy, socio-economic success on the other. Becoming the center of global transportation and communication projects, currently the country tries to solve not only its own problems, but also acts as the main partner in the energy security and sub-regional integration in the Eurasian area. We hope one more global project will soon be added to a number of enormous energy and transport projects that raised the political and economic prestige of Azerbaijan. I mean, the construction of Trans-Eurasian information superhighway initiated by Azerbaijan, allowing our country and other countries in the region to establish an information exchange "East-West".
This project aims to connect a total of 20 countries and play the role of locomotive in development of the region. Despite its advantageous geographical position, Azerbaijan and the countries of the region do not have direct access to global Internet backbones and it makes use long transit routes, which significantly increases the cost of provided services. The project will reduce the "digital divide" between the West and East.
At this stage, the project received the support of ITU and the region's countries and it is planned to raise this issue at the UN General Assembly' meeting. Negotiations on the project with partners in the CIS, European and Asian countries are underway.
Q: What measures are taken to establish the regional innovation zone in the country? When is it possible to expect the innovation zones to emerge in Azerbaijan?
A: The project on establishment of the regional innovation zone (RIZ) in the country has a long-term significance for the ICT industry. The tasks will promote to expand production and export opportunities of ICT sector, train staff potential and encourage innovative activity. In a modern condition innovative activity is important for strengthening and expanding economic activities in all industrial sectors. The ministry's proposals on the establishment of RIZ in Azerbaijan were submitted to the government. In 2009, the government adopted and approved the law "On special economic zones" and we hope that this will also contribute to the project.
Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az
