Azerbaijan, Baku, 24 June / corr. Trend S.Babayeva / The Azerbaijani Communication and Information Technology Ministry is preparing to discuss a proposal on establishment of the Regional Innovation Zone (RIZ), Ali Abbasov, the Minister, said at the opening of a 2-day international conference on 'Bioinformatics: progress and introduction' on 23 June.
"At the beginning of the 21st century, development of nanotechnology, biotechnology and information technology is one of basic objectives of Azerbaijan, which is undergoing transition from natural resources to high technology. The organization of the Regional Innovation Zone is the most important step taken in this direction by the government," he said.
According to the Minister, the RIZ envisages organizing favorable monetary, fiscal, price and other environment for private, state, non-government, local and foreign companies, engaged in manufacturing, use and export of the production requiring the use of high technology and service.
Within the framework of the RIZ, it is planned to establish educational and research centers, as well as, the International Information Technology University, laboratories, innovation and research centers, innovation oriented small and medium enterprises, which will benefit favorable conditions and state support.
The Minister said that one of main distinctive peculiarities of the RIZ is the involvement of foreign scientific specialists together with local ones in its scientific and research work, as well as, the facilitation of the access to the regional market of innovation produce and service. "The key objective is to restore links among education, science and economy in the market economy. We need the support from well-known scientists, foreign specialists and international representatives," Abbasov said.
According to the Ministry, a new project will enable to increase the country's income from the communication section to $4bln by 2012. In 2018-2020 this figure may attain the level of oil income and amount to $10-12bln demonstrating further increase.
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