From Deputy Secretary-General o fUnited Nations Wu Hongbo

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to you and the Government of Azerbaijan for successfully conducting the Seventh Forum on Internet Governance and for the hospitality shown to me and my delegation. I value very highly my meeting with you.

The selection of the city of Baku and the Baku Exhibition Center as the venue for this important forum was significant for the successful outcome of the four-day event. As you know, the event was joined by more than 1,600 senior representatives from 128 countries. The participants discussed the major thematic areas of Internet governance, including issues of connectivity and diversity, issues related to the management of critical Internet resources, Internet governance for development, security, openness, freedom and privacy.

I would particularly like to acknowledge the support of more than 300 professionals of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the role of over 250 local young volunteers in organizing the forum.

It was my first visit to Azerbaijan. The socioeconomic development of your country, in particular, your achievements in the field of information and communication technologies and the Internet made a deep impression on me. I am sure that this progress will contribute to the technological transformation of Azerbaijan and your country’s role as a driving force of
technological development in the region.

It is clear that your government’s efforts to develop the ICT sector and its commitment to enhancing the use of the Internet in the delivery of social services are yielding positive results. At the same time, I want to emphasize that the government of Azerbaijan under your leadership has turned the freedom of expression on the Internet into one of its priorities and implemented numerous measures in this context.

The department of economic and social affairs and the wider UN community intend to continue strengthening the cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan to promote the socioeconomic development of your country in the future.

Your Excellency, I would like to reaffirm my highest consideration for you.

Wu Hongbo
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General