TECHNOLOGIES AS PRIORITY OF AZERBAIJAN ECONOMY
During the last ten years, information and communication technologies (ICT) field is actively developing in Azerbaijan, laying the foundation for creation of alternative to oil sector. One of the leaders of Azerbaijan ICT market is SINAM Company which has successfully realized complex projects in the e-government field. Among customers of SINAM Company, it should be noted the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, State Customs Committee, Ministry of Education, State Social Protection Fund, Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies, Ministry of Justice, State Oil Fund, National Bank of Azerbaijan, National Academy of Sciences etc.
SINAM Company is a reliable partner of world IT leaders like Hewlett Packard, Alcatel, Cisco, Oracle, and Microsoft. In December, 2005 SINAM Company has obtained ISO 9001:2000 international quality certificate. This document confirms that the business-processes organization in SINAM Company meets the level of international standards as well as attests high quality of company services.
Elchin Aliyev, SINAM Company President, answered our questions about ICT development in Azerbaijan.
How do you assess the ICT export potential in Azerbaijan?
Elchin Aliyev: Successful development of ICT during the last years, state policy directed towards support of the field, adopted world experience allowed laying the foundation for the creation of base for a new economy in the country for the nearest ten years. A number of IT companied are doing business in the country, and their products are able to successfully compete in the international and regional markets. For example, a number of solutions developed by SINAM Company are successfully implemented in the Europe and CIS countries. Or another example - "KÜR" factory is the only factory in the Caucasus and Central Asia regions engaged in conveyer production of computers. It should be also mentioned that testing system of products in this factory has no analogs in the world.
The basic factors of competitiveness of Azerbaijani hi-tech products are their high quality and competitive prices. For the development of export potential, Azerbaijan is able to adopt the experience of India, China etc. where ICT is one of the priority economy sectors.
I would like to note that the Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan is currently applying efficient efforts for the development of export potential and for successful advancement of Azerbaijan competitive products. MCIT realizes conception of partnership between public and private sectors known as "3P" conception (private/public partnership). It allows promoting more successfully the ICT at the global level as well as positioning Azerbaijan companies.
I think that, at last, Azerbaijan hi-tech companies will be united into the Association of Information Technologies which jointly with MCIT could advance and strengthen Azerbaijan image in the ICT field.
Recently, you have participated at the II US-Azerbaijani ICT Business Forum held in the United States. What was the impression of ICT field of the country which has the most developed ICT business in the world?
Elchin Aliyev: I have attended both the first and the second forums held in California - possibly, the center of IT industry not only of USA but the whole world. The first forum, organized last year in June, was held right in the "Silicon Valley", San Jose, and the second one was held in Beverley-Hills, Los Angeles, on March 1, 2007. The goal of the forum was to give an opportunity to American companies to get acquainted with the ICT sector of Azerbaijan, as a rapidly growing and the most perspective sector of economy, as well as to discuss the cooperation-based opportunities. In this context, American companies consider Azerbaijan as a party capable to become a reliable partner in ICT business. During the forum we held numerous meetings with different US companies and universities. As I have mentioned before, it was very important that our country was represented not only by public but also private sector. In this regard the cooperation between the public and the business sectors is a decisive point for trust and cooperation. The participation of both the Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies and leading Azerbaijan companies allowed holding very efficient meetings.
Numerous meetings and examination of American business environment showed that Azerbaijan ICT-business is able to access US market as well. We have everything necessary to achieve this goal: highly qualified staff, worldwide recognition of quality standard, as well as competitive solutions in the market. For example, one of our US partners noted that the cooperation with SINAM Company and application of our know-how allowed them to raise their profit by 20 percent according to the results of last fiscal year.
American companies also showed their interest in developments of SINAM Company made in e-governance field, in particular, to e-signature and encryption algorithms.
Today I can say that the US market is one of the most interesting for SINAM, and now, we seriously consider setting up in business in the United States. The most important issue is that our vision and understanding of business processes conform to American, and it's strange as it may seem, even surpasses American. Business in established markets runs more steadily, whereas in developing markets like Azerbaijani, dynamism of processes gives a good impulse to creative thinking.
Does the ICT development in Azerbaijan conform to the world tendencies in hi-tech?
Elchin Aliyev: All activities undertaken in the ICT field in Azerbaijan are realized according to the world trends. E-government solutions, infrastructure improvement, ICT introduction in different economy sectors conform to the world standards level. For example, presently, NGN-network creation is under development in the country. NGN-network will be the most modern and will not differ from the similar infrastructure in the USA or Europe countries.
Improvement of post and banking system will be over soon; and as a result of this improvement, modern banking and post services will be available even in the distant villages. National Bank of Azerbaijan introduces automated "Azeri Payment Utility Services System" on the basis of CheckFree solutions - American company - world leader in the field of e-billing payment systems. There are a lot of such examples, showing that Azerbaijan successfully introduces the best world solutions taking into account local specificity.
In which sectors ICT advances are expected this year?
Elchin Aliyev: In 2007, information and communication technologies will be introduced in different directions. Among them, first of all, it should be mentioned the ICT introduction in the state governance system. Every year, Azerbaijan increasingly introduces e-government system in different state institutions. This year, e-government system will be introduced in the Executive Authorities Regional System, and will, practically, cover the whole territory of the country. Activities directed towards improvement of management information systems are also held in separately taken state institutions. Synchronization of information systems between ministries and departments is very important. I think that in the near future, systems synchronization as well as modern technologies introduction into governance system will allow Azerbaijan to create e-government similar to world countries examples.
The communication infrastructure rapidly develops. Presently, activities directed towards creation of NGN-network are held in the country. This next generation network will allow providing up-to-date world services, including data transmission and Internet, IP-Telephony and IP-TV, throughout Azerbaijan, even in the distant hard-to-reach regions. This network will provide new level services for small and middle businesses as well as for population. Believe me, in 2-3 years, the communications level in Azerbaijan will be at the new stage.
This year, the informatization process of education system will be continued. In the framework of this process, it will be continued the installation of computers in the schools, connection of schools to information network, organization of IT-trainings for teachers as well as introduction of new teaching form - distant. Moreover, the Ministry of Education is preparing a new program on ICT introduction in education system. Education informatization of is a very important part of the conception directed towards information society creation as well as for provision of necessary human resources for modern economy. In his recent speech at the region development conference President of Azerbaijan claimed education with stress on technologies one of priority objectives of the country. I would like to note that International University on Information Technologies is currently being created in the country. This university will prepare necessary human resources not only for Azerbaijan but the whole region.
The staff problem is most pending for today. Along with the business growth, SINAM suffers the lack of human resources. Therefore, we are ready to partner and participate in specialists training system for ICT field in Azerbaijan. For addressing the more serious issues, it is necessary to have a large quantity of IT specialists which should be trained within the country. We have already launched negotiations with the leading US companies engaged on education and ICT. In particular, I would like to mention the successful negotiations with the Global Learning Foundation. Our company, jointly with the mentioned organization, is going to organize ICT-trainings in Azerbaijan, directed, in particular, towards preparation of software developers.
It is good that during his visit to the USA MCIT has signed the cooperation memorandum with one of the famous US Universities - UCLA. I also consider that for preparing of high-qualified ICT personnel, it is necessary to change the education program in the country colleges and high education institutions. For example, for preparing of professional programmers it is necessary to introduce a 2-year program instead of the existing 4-year program.
What kind of perspectives has Azerbaijan ICT sector?
Elchin Aliyev: H.E. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, officially declared that ICT field is a priority after the oil sector. It allows counting on direct support from the country leadership as well as on attraction of petrodollars for the creation of strong space for a new economy. I would like to note that the President of Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated about his support to ICT field. During the last forum dedicated to the development of country regions, he has once again declared the ICT field as a priority in economy. Moreover, during the World Economic Forum held in Davos, the ICT topic was among the basic issues discussed by the President of Azerbaijan. He has held fruitful meetings with the heads of the world leading IT Companies, and discussed perspectives of ICT development in the country. Support of country President is very important for ICT development, and it is already giving respective results. For example, activities directed towards creation of free economic zones are already held in the country. In the future, such zones will be created all over the country and will become catalysts of this sector development.
Moreover, the implementation of large infrastructure projects is held in the country; full value e-government system is under creation; ICT is being implemented in different fields of human activities.
I am sure that in the near future, Azerbaijan ICT field will take "the baton" from the oil sector and will become "engine" of Azerbaijan future.