The 19th Azerbaijan International Telecommunications and Information Technologies Exhibition BakuTel-2013 opened at the Baku Exhibition Centre.
President Ilham Aliyev visited the exhibition.
Azerbaijan, which has achieved sustainable growth in all economic and social spheres, has also risen to the level of countries rapidly developing in the sector of information and communication technologies (ICT). The growing importance of ICT in the economy has resulted in international events and conferences in the area being held in our country in recent years. The BakuTel exhibition, which has already become a tradition, is the largest event in the field of telecommunications, including in the areas of information technology, in the Caspian and Caucasus regions.
The BakuTel exhibition, held for the 19th time this year, has become an important event in the world of telecommunications over the past years. The regular participation of representatives of the United Nations, the International Telecommunication Union and the Regional Association of Communications and confirmation by the quality mark of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry are factors supporting the authority of BakuTel.
Today, the ICT sector is developing rapidly in our country. The President always keeps his focus on the development of the industry. Clear evidence of this is the designation of 2013 by the head of state as "The Year of ICT" in Azerbaijan. The first significant event of the "Year of ICT" was the launch of the first national telecommunications satellite Azerspace-1 into orbit. The activities of the State Fund for the Development of Information Technology, High-Tech Park, the Centre for Electronic Security and the State Agency for Special Communications and Information Security in the country indicate the stability of attention paid to this area. The newly-established University of Information Technology has already accepted its first students.
The holding of this exhibition and conference within the framework of the "Year of ICT", the inclusion of a conference on cybersecurity and other events in its programme and the broader representation of leading companies further enhance the importance of the event. In general, the "Year of ICT" especially attracts attention in the entire BakuTel-2013 exhibition. Other factors supporting the growth of interest in the exhibition are the expansion of the area of the current exhibition by 35 per cent and the participation of 300 companies from 28 countries in BakuTel-2013. Another distinctive feature of the exhibition is the increasing number of national stands organized with the active support of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
The countries that actively participate in the exhibition each year are joined by the United States, Italy, Afghanistan and several other states this year. Exhibitors also demonstrate telecommunications and networks, broadband technologies, wired and wireless communications, satellite communications and technology, broadcasting equipment, software, IT and office technology segments, as well as technological innovations and a number of other products.
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ali Abbasov informed the head of state Ilham Aliyev that an Azerbaijani national stand called "Innovative products and solutions" was established at the BakuTel exhibition for the first time. It provides detailed information regarding projects implemented by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in recent years, as well as the future plans on the development of the industry. It was noted that in Azerbaijan the Internet is used by 70 per cent of the population. 50 per cent of them use the services of broadband Internet. In mobile communications, for every one hundred people there are 110 subscribers, and 3G and 4G technologies are used. The population is covered by digital television broadcasting. The use of electronic government solutions, the number of electronic services offered to citizens and their level of use are on the rise. Azerbaijan is also the initiator of many regional projects, including ICT. One of these projects - the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) project - was supported by UN General Assembly resolutions, and in order to implement it, important steps have been taken towards the establishment of the Eurasian alliance of communications. And the country's participation in the EPEG project helped to increase our opportunities of transit access to the Internet.
The head of state was informed that, according to estimates by the International Telecommunication Union, Azerbaijan is among the ten countries that have seen the most dynamic growth in the field of ICT over the past 10 years.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was also informed about the "online forum of the world Azerbaijanis". The online conference will continue throughout the exhibition. To this end, the State Committee for Work with the Diaspora installed special equipment in the offices of Azerbaijani diaspora organizations operating in the United States, Germany, France, Holland, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey.
Speaking to representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora through the on-line conferencing system, President Ilham Aliyev said:
- The activity of Azerbaijani diaspora organizations is expanding. Now, one can say, there are diaspora organizations in most European countries. They are organized and carry out effective activities. At the same time, today Azerbaijanis are organized in the United States, in the CIS - Ukraine, Russia, and in general, in different countries. Today, new opportunities are being created for Azerbaijanis living abroad. At the same time, the role of diaspora organizations in meeting the state interests of Azerbaijan more fully is very high.
During my visits to various countries, all these issues were widely discussed during numerous meetings with Azerbaijanis living abroad. At diaspora forums held in Baku, I pronounced heartfelt words. Once again I want to say that today the strong diaspora expands the potential of strong Azerbaijan. At the same time, every Azerbaijani living abroad, I think, quite rightly feels proud that there is the strong Azerbaijani state in today's world.
You always know and need to know that behind you is the strong, strengthening and developing Azerbaijani state, which is highly respected in the world today. At the same time, your work is very important for us in terms of the protection of state interests of Azerbaijan. That unity makes us even stronger.
I am very happy to chat with you today through this wonderful electronic service. I wish you every success in your activities. Thank you.
Participants in the videoconference thanked the head of state.
A UN stand was also presented for the first time at the BakuTel-2013 exhibition. The stand reflected cooperation projects with the Azerbaijani government in four areas of the United Nations Development Programme. This is democratic governance, sustainable development, women's empowerment and crisis prevention.
A memory photo was taken in front of the stand.
President Ilham Aliyev also familiarized himself with other stands at the exhibition. Bakcell, which is the first mobile operator and the leading provider of mobile Internet in Azerbaijan, offers advanced mobile communication services and a wide range of products, as well as mobile services of 3G Internet with the trademark Sür@. The network of Bakcell covers 99 per cent of the population and 92 per cent of the country's territory. Through new partners, the Sür@ service provides the population of Azerbaijan with mobile internet services of high quality.
The head of state also visited the stand reflecting the activities of LLC Delta Telecom. It was noted that Delta Telecom, which is one of the largest telecom operators in the region, has the most reliable infrastructure in terms of the quality of communications and telecommunications services. Delta Telecom, which carries the transit capacity of the region over the capital infrastructure of ASON/GMPLS, the latest generation in DWDM networking technologies, has a stable superhighway. The region's biggest Internet superhighway also belongs to Delta Telecom.
LLC AzərFon has been operating since 2007. Being a brand of Nar mobile, it currently plays an important role in the development of the telecommunications market in Azerbaijan and further expands the services sector. Nar mobile is Azerbaijan's first mobile operator providing 3G services. The company is known as a trade mark that makes an invaluable contribution to the development of the ICT sector in Azerbaijan and applies advanced mobile technologies in the country.
The Aztelekom Production Association is also participating in the exhibition. As a national mobile operator in Azerbaijan, the Aztelekom Production Association provides services to private and corporate customers, mobile operators and other users. The main objective of the ISP Aztelekom.NET, created by the company in order to give impetus to the active use of information and communication technologies of the new generation in the regions, is to provide connection to high-quality and high-speed Internet using modern technology.
The trademark SAZZ, created in 2010 by LLC AzQtel, is the largest operator in Azerbaijan, which provides broadband wireless Internet based on the 4G Mobile WIMAX technology. The 4G Internet services provided by SAZZ encompass the cities of Baku, Sumgayit, Khirdalan, Mingachevir and villages of the Absheron Peninsula.
President Ilham Aliyev also visited the stand of Hitachi. The company enjoys high prestige in the application of modern technology.
Founded in 2010, JSC Azerkosmos is the first satellite operator operating in the Caucasus region. With the successful launch of the first national telecommunications satellite of Azerbaijan Azerspace-1 into orbit this year, the company began to provide its customers with broadcasting and broadband Internet services on the basis of satellite communications, as well as highly reliable communication platforms on a satellite basis. The advanced design and high technological parameters of the Azerspace-1 satellite allow Azerkosmos to provide quality satellite services in regions of Europe, Central Asia, Middle East and Africa.
The exhibition also presents the French space-rocket company Arianespace. It was the carrier rocket of this company that placed the first telecommunications satellite of Azerbaijan Azerspace-1 into orbit.
At the exhibition, the head of state gave an interview to the Euronews TV channel.
The interview of the Azerbaijani President with the Euronews TV channel
- I know that you are paying special attention to the IT sector. Please tell us more about it.
- Yes, this is one of the main directions for the development of the Azerbaijani economy now. This sector has a great future. This is a sector that generates ideas, promotes the general level of education in our country, helps to ensure that we are introduced to the leading international scientific products, and of course, the IT sector is also a priority for the development of the economy, especially the non-oil sector in Azerbaijan.
It is no coincidence that this year has been declared the Year of ICT. This was mainly due to the fact that this year the first artificial satellite of Azerbaijan was launched. Thus, we have become a country with a space industry, and this satellite has been fully handed over to Azerbaijani specialists, and we expect to continue this programme: the second and third satellites will be launched in the coming years.
The full coverage of our country with information technology will also make it possible to provide modern services to the population. You probably know that we have introduced a system of providing public services ASAN, which is the brand of Azerbaijan. And information and communication technologies are developing in the regions. We are currently working to bring broadband Internet to every village in Azerbaijan, and the state will fund the project. So the BakuTel exhibition is also doing a lot in this direction, and every year it increases the number of participants and new products. That is to say we want to be a centre not only for oil and gas operations and humanitarian cooperation, but also for modern technologies in our region.
- You mentioned the electronic government – ASAN service. How important is it for people to have precisely this access to government agencies?
- It's very important. You know it helps us to fight corruption, eradicate bureaucracy and provide direct access to the services people are entitled to. But unfortunately, it does not always work. Therefore, ASAN has several functions. First, it is to provide advanced services. Second, it is the fight against corruption, transparency and training. Hundreds of volunteers are already working in the ASAN system. They are mostly young people who come to work themselves and help people for free. This is a new form of relationship between government and citizens and between government officials and state institutions. It is no accident that although the system has been operating for less than a year, more than 500,000 people have turned to the ASAN service and there is not a single complaint, everyone is happy. It's actually become a brand of modern Azerbaijan, because we are modernizing the country. The economy and political system are in the process of modernization. In this case, we must modernize all spheres of our society and create conditions for people to be happy and not to spend days or weeks in order to receive the papers that can now be obtained in just a few minutes.
- This exhibition is probably a kind of mirror of the Year of Information Technology and Communications – 2013, which you have designated. What do you think about this exhibition? This is not the first time that you are visiting BakuTel. It seems to have changed somehow and become bigger…
- I visit BakuTel every year. This exhibition, of course, is expanding. Every year there are more and more participants. And I am glad that there are more and more local companies. This means that this business is growing. There are more foreign companies too. This means that the attention of leading IT companies to Azerbaijan is growing. When we started, we set ourselves the goal that it should win the same international recognition as the traditional oil exhibition that essentially helped us to develop our oil and gas fields, because when we started oil and gas projects, few people even knew about Azerbaijan. BakuTel has the same function. That is to say the world will learn about us in the future not only as a country possessing great natural resources, but also as a country with a high level of scientific capacity and a country where information and communication technologies are used. Certainly, it would be naive to think today that Azerbaijan will be the trendsetter in this field. I have always said that we should be one step behind those who are the trendsetters and apply the most advanced technologies in our economy. The state acts as a guarantor of these processes here, because most of the funding is provided by the government. The private sector follows or goes in parallel with the state and uses the opportunities we create. We are moving forward at a rapid pace. We are building a modern state, and today without modern technology no nation is able to develop normally.
- Can you say a few words about the TASIM project? Because it is a global project and is important for the region and Azerbaijan.
- Yes, we are involved in many global communications, energy and transport projects. Our geographical location is such that it is a natural crossroads between North and South, East and West. But without the infrastructure, that geography says nothing. That is to say it does not mean anything. It means something only when you fill it with specific infrastructure. The energy corridors we have initiated are now attracting the attention of Europe and other continents. The transport project we carry out to connect the railway between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey will also be of intercontinental importance. This road is the restoration of the Silk Road from China to London. It is the same in the field of communications. The communications being built in Azerbaijan in connection with e-services also contribute to the fact that this will bring people and countries together and bring dividends to Azerbaijan for many years. The TASIM project is from the same sphere. That is to say it all fits into the overall concept of development of the country, using the potential we have - geography, natural and human potential and, of course, actively working with leading foreign partners who help us to achieve our goals.
- Thank you very much, Mr President!
Then, President Ilham Aliyev also visited the stand of LLC NEURON Texnologiyası at the exhibition.
The special device "spider" demonstrated at the exhibition is the world's smallest electronic cardiogram sensor carrying out live monitoring. The device, which has a special design, is attached to the chest. The use of this device, which has no analogues in the world, will be one of the high-tech preventive measures that can avert the negative phenomena that occur due to cardiovascular diseases.
The head of state also looked at the stand of the Republic of Turkey. It was noted that the brotherly country is an active participant in this exhibition. The current exhibition presents five leading companies of Turkey in the field of ICT.
Afghanistan is also represented at the exhibition for the first time. This country has a great interest in the BakuTel-2013 exhibition.
The exhibition presents mobile buses and other vehicles of the state agency for services to citizens and social innovation and the ASAN centres subordinate to it. The ASAN centre is an entity that is based on the classical "one-shop" principle and provides 25 legal services of nine government agencies.
The head of state inspected vehicles used for mobile services of LLC Azərpoçt.
It was noted that with the help of these vehicles citizens can widely use postal services.
The exhibition in Azerbaijan, for the first time among the CIS countries, demonstrates the robot "Titan". This robot has visited many countries of the world from Tokyo to Vancouver, attended the Grand Prix Formula 1 competition in Abu Dhabi, as well as presentations of large companies, famous brands and trademarks. The robot moves and establishes dialogue with people.
President Ilham Aliyev also visited the stand of the company AzDimension. Here the head of state was informed about a new national computer game. This game provides an opportunity to learn the history of our country and has a positive impact on the education of adolescents and youth in the patriotic spirit.
The company PERSECUTOR represented at the exhibition offers ICT buildings modern information centres and comprehensive services for the appropriate technological infrastructure. Established in 1993, the company is considered the world's leading entity in the area.
The head of state also visited the stand of HP. As one of the largest international companies in the field of information technology, HP is a provider of effective technologies for corporate customers, small and medium businesses, as well as individual users.
President Ilham Aliyev was also informed in detail about the High-Tech Park. The main function of the park, created by the head of state’s decree, is to expand activities involving ICT technologies, other new and high technologies, create favourable conditions for physical and legal persons working here and develop other services. To this end, LLC Hi-Tech Park was set up under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. A land plot of 50 hectares was allotted for the construction of the park in the Pirallahi area.
The United States of America is also represented at the current exhibition for the first time. The company USA CC offers the latest technology in the field of ICT.
Lithuania is also represented at the BakuTel-2013 exhibition by five companies. Companies from this country are taking part in the exhibition with research on new technologies and new products for other purposes.
President Ilham Aliyev also visited the stand of the company Lifewatch V. It was noted that the family of Lifewatch V smartphones is designed to inform people about their health status. It includes electrocardiograms, monitoring of blood circulation and a package of other health care services.
Azercell was established in 1996 and currently holds a leading position on the market. The company brought a number of innovative technologies and concepts to Azerbaijan. It covers 99.8 per cent of the country’s population. In 2011, the company introduced 3G services and in 2012 - 4G. In 2013, the company became the first mobile operator that introduced the mobile electronic signature service - Asan imza.
The head of state also visited the stand of LLC SINAM. Founded in 1994, SINAM has established itself on the computer market as a reliable and serious partner in the field of telecommunications technology.
President Ilham Aliyev was also informed about transport and technology and the Yollar GPS control system.
It was noted that in general, the exhibition will make an important contribution to the development of ICT in Azerbaijan and the establishment of new and useful cooperation and business relations.
