ICTA and ICANN Sign Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Internet Governance and Capacity Building

The Information and Communication Technologies Agency (ICTA), operating under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand cooperation in internet governance, capacity building, digital ecosystem development, and internet security and stability.

The MoU was signed during ICANN’s 86th Policy Forum, held in Seville, Spain, where global Internet development issues were discussed. It establishes a framework for cooperation between ICTA, Azerbaijan’s national regulatory authority for the telecommunications and postal sectors, and ICANN, the global organization responsible for coordinating the Internet’s unique identifier systems, including domain names and IP address resources.

Under the MoU, the parties will cooperate in the following areas of mutual interest:

• Developing and implementing educational and capacity-building programs in the areas of the Domain Name System (DNS) and Internet governance;
• Promoting stakeholder participation in ICANN’s global policy development processes;
• Supporting awareness-raising and public engagement initiatives in Azerbaijan involving government institutions, academia, the private sector, and the technical community;
• Organizing joint training programs, seminars, and awareness-raising events on Internet security, stability, and resilience;
• Promoting the principles of Universal Acceptance (UA), which ensure that all Internet identifiers, including domain names and email addresses in local languages and scripts, function correctly and consistently across digital platforms and software applications;
• Exchanging non-confidential information and best practices on Internet-related policies, regulatory approaches, and emerging trends.

The cooperation will contribute to strengthening the capacity of local experts, expanding opportunities for Azerbaijani stakeholders to participate in international Internet governance initiatives, and the successful implementation of the country’s digital transformation agenda.

The MoU also underscores the importance of the multistakeholder model, which brings together governments, the technical community, academia, the private sector, and civil society to address issues related to the future of the Internet.

ICTA and ICANN intend to continue their joint efforts in the areas of cooperation, knowledge sharing, and institutional capacity building to support the sustainable development of the Internet ecosystem in Azerbaijan and globally.

About ICTA

The Information and Communication Technologies Agency (ICTA) operates under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan and is responsible for the regulation, certification, registration, supervision, and quality oversight of information and communication technologies, telecommunications, radio frequency spectrum management, and postal services. ICTA’s mission is to foster a transparent, reliable, accountable, and consumer-oriented regulatory environment that promotes innovation, competition, and digital development.

About ICANN

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is an international not-for-profit, public-benefit organization responsible for coordinating the Internet’s unique identifier systems to help ensure the stable, secure, and interoperable operation of the global Internet. Through its multistakeholder model, ICANN brings together governments, the technical community, academia, the private sector, and civil society from around the world to support the development of Internet policies and the coordination of the Internet’s core technical resources.