A Word from the Executive Director of AmCham Dear Members and Friends, Autumn / Issue 13 I hope this issue of IMPACT will reach you as you are Credits returning from your winter holidays, rested, relaxed and looking forward to the challenges of the new year. AmCham Executive Director: Nargiz Nasrullayeva-Muduroglu In this edition of IMPACT Azerbaijan, we will be looking closely at the issues surrounding Electronic Governance, Editor: collectively known as “e-Government”. Experts from the ICT Jeyhun Atayev sector together with colleagues from banks and investment companies have kindly shared their views. Design & layout: Quadro M Media Agency As many of you may know, AmCham Azerbaijan organized a well-attended "Towards the Future" ICT conference last November. Several companies, in themselves Photographer: global and regional leaders in the field of electronic information and communication Huseyn Azimzade technologies, joined together to discuss their experiences of developing and implementing various e-Strategies in the 21st century. Articles contributed by: Elmir Habibullayev Zulfiya Aghakishiyeva We have also been active in pursuing a wider range of activities since the summer Elshan Musayev edition of IMPACT Azerbaijan. You can read about all the events of the past quarter Kent Babin in this issue. Mais Yusifov Anar Karimov Enjoy! Nihad Azizli and Turgay Teymurov Advertisers: Nargiz Nasrullayeva-Muduroglu Unibank Bakcell Globus Plaza PANALPINA Editor’s Comment ITECA Mozaik LLC Pasha Construction Dear Readers, Pasha Insurance SINAM This issue of IMPACT presents an assessment of the role SAZZ Azqtel of the ICT sector in enhancing public service delivery and The Landmark Hotel improving the efficiency and productivity of government processes and systems. This issue will cover the “Art-of- Cover artwork: Real-time” – the concept of e-Government and the supporting Quadro M mechanisms. Printing: We are proud that members of AmCham are playing Nurlar an essential role in this process, adding impetus to the implementation of e-Government through their various Publisher: areas of expertise, and contributing to the further development of the ICT sector in American Chamber of Commerce cooperation with different institutions and state agencies. in Azerbaijan Tel: (+994 12) 497 13 33 Fax: (+994 12) 497 10 91 The current issue has been compiled to encompass the wide variety of interests www.amchamaz.org among our readership, under the general theme of e-Government mechanisms in Azerbaijan. We hope you enjoy the articles we have selected for this issue and that Advertising opportunities: they may provide inspiration for you in your work and day to day activities. Please contact the Editor Jeyhun Atayev Until the spring, [email protected] Tel: (+994 12) 497 13 33 Jeyhun Atayev The articles in IMPACT AZERBAIJAN express the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan. 1 contents IN FOCUS 6 Interview: Minister of Communications and 18 Azerbaijan is close to establishing Information Technologies e-government Ali Abbasov, Minister of Communications “E-government” is a term, that combines the and Information Technologies, speaks to vital elements of transparency and modern IMPACT on establishing of e –Government in public administration. Azerbaijan 21 Electronic services offered by banking 10 Electronic governance and cloud computing system in Azerbaijan The rapid growth of 12 First steps towards Electronic government electronic banking products in recent years is becoming an important driver of the future development of the banking system. 23 Baku becomes part of the world’s leading mobile community With the gathering pace of the information revolution, many developing countries have looked at IT as a potential tool to solve the endemic problems of poverty, bad governance, and poor economic growth. 16 E-Government in Azerbaijan: What Lies Ahead Definitions of e-Government vary depending on who you ask. It involves a government using the Internet and other forms of One Monday of each month, more than 100 communication to provide information and cities worldwide bring together mobile experts services to citizens. e-Government also aims with new and exciting ideas for the mobile to assist the sharing of information amongst industry, including mobile communications government agencies and institutions. services. 2 Autumn / Issue 13 contents MEMBER CONTRIBUTION AMCHAM AZERBAIJAN 26 The top 10 risks for oil & gas companies 38 About us Recent global multi-sector survey, which included 39 Government Relations 82 oil and gas executives in 15 countries. 30 Islamic Insurance: Emerging Concept in Azerbaijan A look at the concept of Islamic insurance – Takaful - vis-a-vis conventional insurance. 40 Business Events : Monthly Member Luncheons 34 Azerbaijan’s exhibitions have drawn attention from around the world As another season of industry exhibitions draws to a close, we invited Mr. Farid Mamedov, Executive Director of ITECA Caspian to reflect upon the group’s experiences and achievements over the past year. 3 contents AMCHAM AZERBAIJAN AMCHAM AZERBAIJAN 42 Business Events : Towards the Future” ICT 54 Social Events : 7th Annual B&W Ball Conference 43 Committee Highlights 56 Projects 46 AmCham Legal update 50 Members’ News and Events 52 Corporate Social Responsibility 57 New Members 59 (M2M) Discount Program 60 AmCham Calendar of Activities 4 Autumn / Issue 13 Interview: Mr. Ali Abbasov, Minister of Communications & Information Technologies “I believe that people are ready for electronic services” The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Ali Abbasov, has been leading sustainable reform in Azerbaijan’s ITC sector over the past seven years. He shared his insights on e–Government with IMPACT. 6 Autumn / Issue 13 in focus Thank you for joining us, Mr. Minister. electronic applications for university and public service jobs, are also being offered in Azerbaijan. President Aliyev’s May At the moment, the concept of e-government includes 23rd 2011 decree on the provision of electronic services approximately twenty different services, of which by state bodies provided a major impetus for extending the twelve are for private citizens and 8 for businesses. scope of this process. What activities have been implemented in Azerbaijan to support the establishment of e-government? Azerbaijan’s e-government strategy has moreover attracted How will these concepts be realized? What are the attention of international organizations. Azerbaijan’s the characteristics of e-communication and data ranking in the UN’s “e-Government survey 2010” was 83rd exchange tools as used by state bodies? among 192 states, which is up six places from 2008. In the same UN report, Azerbaijan’s ranking in the “e-participation As you know, the development of e-government is an index” was 68th among 157 states. integral part of Azerbaijan’s strategy for information and communication technology. There is tremendous interest The implementation of e-signatures is one of the key in the implementation of e-governance, which enables the components of the “E-government” concept. What transition to an information society, the implementation of is the advantage of using e-signatures, and what effective and transparent public administration, the active is the current status of this particular strategy in participation of citizens in decision making processes – Azerbaijan? including strengthening anti-corruption initiatives – amongst many other important issues. Public Key infrastructure and the National Certification Services Center, both of which focus on the implementation A range of actions towards establishing the infrastructure of a secure and efficient e-signature system, are working to and legislative framework of e-government and the ensure the delivery of high quality electronic services and implementation of e-government solutions, including the their public use. As of September of this year, the Center application of electronic services across all spheres of is ready to provide e-signature services to state bodies, government administration and public life are already citizens and businesses. underway. Key legislation on “e-signatures and electronic documents”, e-commerce, “the State register of the Special discounted prices are being offered to encourage the population of the Republic of Azerbaijan”, “the acquisition use of e-signatures. Currently, the processing of applications of information”, and personal data has been adopted, along for these services and the issuance of e-signature cards with an Action Plan for organizational, legal and technical is being implemented in dedicated registration centers reform. established in post offices. Using e-signatures will make it easier for people to use the electronic services of state There now exists a unified network infrastructure bodies, as well as ensuring improved convenience and encompassing all state bodies, an e-governance gateway quality in terms of service delivery. At a national level, that enables data exchange between various information the e-signature system will bring e-commerce and the systems and the National Certification Services Center, development of information technologies to a new level. supported by the e-signature system. In order to ensure that the electronic services of state bodies are delivered as a Mr. Minister, in your mind, what will be the economic “one-stop-shop”, the newly established e-government portal impact of