Public Hearing Held on Reforms in Digital Development, Innovation, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity

The Ministry of Digital Development and Transport organized a public hearing on the reforms being implemented in the areas of digital development, innovation, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

The event brought together representatives of startups, investment funds, domestic and international companies, technology park residents and experts.

Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Hasanov outlined the measures undertaken to accelerate digital development, the progress achieved, and the goals set for the period ahead. He noted that important decisions serving as a roadmap for digital development were adopted during a meeting chaired by President Ilham Aliyev in February this year. In line with those decisions, the Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026–2028 was approved. To ensure the implementation of a unified state policy in the areas of digitalization, e-government, artificial intelligence and innovation, the Digital Development Council was established.

The Deputy Minister noted that the Council’s activities will make a significant contribution to strengthening coordination among state bodies, accelerating digital transformation and facilitating the transition to an innovation-driven economic model. He added that the inaugural meeting of the Digital Development Council, chaired by First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, was held on June 29, 2026. The meeting reviewed the progress of the Action Plan’s implementation and the work undertaken on legislative reforms in the field of digital development.

The Action Plan defines the country’s digital transformation and technological development priorities for the next three years. Several measures have already been implemented under the Plan, and the implementation process is ongoing.

Participants were informed that efforts are underway to further enhance the “mygov” and “mygov Business” platforms to make public services more accessible to citizens and businesses. Government services are being integrated into a unified digital ecosystem in phases, while ongoing efforts are focused on digitalizing non-digital services and expanding the range of proactive services.

The development of the innovation ecosystem, the expansion of ICT exports and Azerbaijan’s transformation into a regional technology hub are also among the country’s priorities. As part of these efforts, a comprehensive reform package has been prepared to support technological development, including measures to improve the legislative framework.

The application of artificial intelligence in public administration and public service delivery is one of the key priorities of the Action Plan. The Plan envisages the establishment of a high-performance computing infrastructure and the enhancement of public services through AI-powered solutions.

Strengthening cybersecurity is of particular importance to ensuring the secure and sustainable development of digital transformation. To this end, legal and institutional reforms are being implemented.

The successful implementation of these strategic objectives will make a significant contribution to strengthening Azerbaijan’s technological capabilities, reinforcing its digital sovereignty and building a competitive economy.

The public hearing also featured a presentation on the legislative initiatives envisaged under the Action Plan for the development of the innovation ecosystem.

Participants shared their proposals and views, while extensive discussions were held on the key areas of the digital development agenda, the reforms underway, and the priorities for the period ahead.