Meeting between CEIBC member companies and Ali Abbasov, Minister of Communication and Information Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan takes place in Baku

Member-companies of the Caspian-European Integration Business Club (CEIBC) has held a session in Baku today with participation of Ali Abbasov, Minister of Communication and Information Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Discussed at the meeting were prospects of development of information-communication technologies (ICT) in Azerbaijan and expansion of information business-cooperation within the framework of infrastructure projects in the Caspian-Black Sea region.

During the session CEIBC member-companies were informed about an activity of the ministry of communication and information technologies (MCIT) of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

While rendering a speech at the session, Ali Abbasov reminded that ICT development in Azerbaijan was highly commended at the enlarged governmental session dedicated to the results of 2009 and held under the chairmanship of Azerbaijan’s President in January 2010. According to the minister, the estimation was given to the reforms implemented in ICT sphere since they seriously promoted the development of the field.

According to the minister, ICT sector is developing more rapidly in the world compared to other economy sectors. Azerbaijan is not an exception in this case.

The minister noted that in spite of the crisis which was observed in 2008-2009 and caused the growth of unemployed people by 70 mln people, the global growth in ICT sphere totaled 2-3%. This figures totaled 13.8% in Azerbaijan. Besides, GDP growth in Azerbaijan totaled 9.3% in 2009.

According to Ali Abbasov, ICT development in Azerbaijan passes to a new stage and favorably impacts on other sectors such as education, healthcare, social sphere, etc.

“Telephone services have been installed within the entire territory of Azerbaijan for now and we were the first to obtain this among CIS countries in October 2008”, the minister noted in his speech adding that this process is ongoing under the “100 phones per 100 families” slogan. The major goal is to provide broadband link to each house and family. According to the reports of the World Bank, a 10% growth in the field of provision of services of broadband link brings to the GDP growth by 1.3%.

Speaking about the mobile communication, 85 cell phones fall at every 100 people. This is 25% higher than the average global figure.

The minister reminded that 3G technologies had been introduced in Azerbaijan since 2009. This had a positive impact on the development of mobile internet.

Ali Abbasov also noted that tariffs for internet services in Azerbaijan were reduced by 5 times over the past period and have been comparable to the prices in the Eastern European countries since the end of 2009.

The ministry also performs certain activities in the field of radio and TV broadcasting. As you may know, the production of analogous television sets will be halted in the world after 2015. Azerbaijan will fully switch to a digital television by 2012. The corresponding program on switching to the digital broadcasting has already been submitted to the Azerbaijani government for consideration. Nowadays, 10 Azerbaijani programs are broadcasted in a test digital format in Baku and Absheron, the minister said.

Ali Abbasov also noted that the implementation of the WB project envisaging provision of postal services is on the verge of completion. Thus, according to the project, the mail has launched provision of financial and banking services to the population in a test mode.

The minister also touched the issue of cosmic industry in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s ministry of communication and information technologies is an executive body which coordinates the implementation of the state program on cosmic industry development. The program envisages the launch of telecommunication satellites of Azerbaijan. The first satellite shall be launched in June 2012.

According to the minister, the “People’s computer” program is intensively realized in Azerbaijan and meant for elimination of difference in density of distribution of computers in Azerbaijan and other world’s countries. The program covers education and social sphere of the country.

Speaking about implementation of regional programs, Ali Abbasov noted the importance of implementation of the super-speed information highway between the East and West. According to the minister, Azerbaijan has already implemented similar projects in the field of energy resources and transport between the East and West, and now it stands for the implementation of the project of super-speed information highway. In this case, the matter concerns connection of networks of the East Asia and Pacific region with the networks of the West, as well as creation of the national and regional highway networks. According to the UN evaluation, this project will accelerate social-economic development of the entire region. Thus, during the General Assembly of the UNO, passed was a special resolution for the support of Azerbaijan’s initiative. So the countries of the region were recommended to render political support of the implementation of this project. Creation of the regional consortium is planned for the project implementation, for this reason Azerbaijan is intent to expand its role within the framework of this initiative, the minister noted.

According to the recommendation of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and due to the announcement of 2010 as the Year of Ecology in Azerbaijan, BakuTel will be held under the slogan of ICT’s role in solution of ecology problems. The minister called business to take active part in this annual exhibition and BakuTel conference which was held with participation of President Ilham Aliyev over the past 3 years.

Speaking about innovation zones, the minister noted that considered is an issue of creation of their simplified form in accordance with current requirements. Ali Abbasov noted that a zone should be created prior to BakuTel exhibition and it does not require selection of the geographic zone. Maybe, created will be a virtual zone including all necessary parameters in the field of fiscal and monetary policy of the state whereupon local businessmen and representative offices of foreign companies will be able to reach regional markets.

In conclusion, Ali Abbasov answered numerous questions of CEIBC member companies, spoke about prospects and opportunities of business participation in the development of ICT sector both in Azerbaijan and in the region.

While rendering a speech at the session, Telman Aliyev, President and Chief Executive Officer of CEIBC, noted that two thematic field clubs – Caspian-European IT Club and Caspian-European Communication Club, operate within the Caspian-European Integration Business Club. Both of field clubs will operate independently starting from 2011.

Telman Aliyev said that rotation of Club chairmen takes place in every six months. This procedure will refer to the Club President starting from the next year. According to T.Aliyev, he shall maintain position of the chief executive officer.

Apart from this, he noted that elections of chairmen of field clubs would take place in December.

During the session, Telman Aliyev also introduced heads of field clubs, particularly Cuneyt Turktan, Co-President of Caspian-European Communication Club and President of Azerfon Company, and Tahir Mirkishili, Co-President of Caspian-European IT Club, President of ULTRA Company.

Ali Abbasov, Minister of Communication and Information Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was handed a certificate of the permanent representative in the Caspian-European Integration Business Club. New CEIBC member companies were given certificates at the session.

Participating in the event were local and foreign companies from Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Georgia, USA, UK, France, Ukraine, Latvia, Iran and other countries.

REFERENCE: CEIBC was established in June 2002 at support of Caspian Energy International Publishing House and largest oil&gas companies working across the Caspian and Black Sea regions. Since 2002, CIBC Honorary Chairman has been HE President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

At first CIBC brought together the companies from Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan. The Club’s activity proves to be very successful as the number of member companies grew from 16 businesses in 2002 to more than 300 in 2007 and over 500 member companies and organizations from 32 countries around the globe.

CEIBC mainly seeks to create favourable business doing conditions in the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions, to maintain business-to-government dialog in order to improve business doing conditions, promote contacts between large businesses and SME and attract revenues from oil to the non-oil sector of the country.

The Club has managed to consolidate the business community of the region and set up a number of branch Clubs that now bring together mainly the non-oil sector of the country and promote information exchange and active government-to-business dialogue.

Kaynak: http://bakutel.az/2010/?p=news__read&t=top&q=1&l=en