15:59 - 14.06.2019

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June 14, Fineko/abc.az. Fuad Allahverdiyev, Director General of “AzerTelecom”, a backbone internet provider connecting Azerbaijan to the global internet network, spoke about the “Azerbaijan Digital HUB” program implemented by "AzerTelecom", the opportunities created by the Program for sustainable development of the country's ICT sector, digitization, as well as digital transformation processes in modern conditions at the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum held in Baku.

Fuad Allahverdiyev, who was a speaker at the panel on “Connectivity” dedicated to ICT, Transport and Logistics topics held within the framework of the Forum, noted that "AzerTelecom" has been operating in the country's ICT sector for more than 10 years and is currently implementing the “Digital HUB” program to transform Azerbaijan into a Digital Hub. He noted that the “Digital HUB " program aims at building a stable infrastructure in the field of ICT in the country, development of the telecommunications sector, creation of a digital telecommunications corridor between Europe and Asia that will pass through Azerbaijan, implementation of projects in the direction of connectivity, and as a result, transformation of our country into a Regional Digital Center for the Caucasus, Middle and South Asia, the Middle East and the surrounding regions.

Fuad Allahverdiyev noted that within the framework of the Program, the Trans-Caspian backbone project is being implemented to construct the fiber-optic cable line through the bottom of the Caspian Sea between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, for which the relevant intergovernmental agreement had been signed and approved. He noted that the ”Digital HUB" program will make an important contribution to the development of the country's ICT sector, as well as other fields in the non-oil sector, will create conditions for bringing European and American content here and for transportation to Asia, will lead to job creation, attraction of global ICT companies to Azerbaijan, will be an important foundation for the introduction of innovations.

The EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum, which was held on June 13, was organised by the Delegation of the European Union to Azerbaijan, in collaboration with the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) and the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO).

AzerTelecom is one of the largest telecommunication operators in Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus region and is the subsidiary of Bakcell Company, the country's first mobile operator and the fastest mobile internet provider. AzerTelecom was founded in 2008 and provides various services to local and foreign companies in the telecommunication sector. AzerTelecom is currently implementing the "Azerbaijan Digital Hub" program to turn the country into a Regional Digital Center, in addition to the status of the Energy and Transport Center owned by Azerbaijan.The implementation of the program lays a firm basis for the country's National IT and National Innovation Strategy and will make an important contribution to the acceleration of digitization, flexible transformation to the digital economy, development of start-ups and IT architecture. The program will help bring the country's ICT system to the level of the most advanced world standards and allow the country to hold more advanced positions in the international rankings.