Baku, December 2, AZERTAC 

On 2-3 December 2014, the 2nd Regional Internet Governance Forum Azerbaijan (RIGFAZ 2014) that is convened by the "Modernization of Sustainability and Efficiency of ICT infrastructure and ICT services in the Republic of Azerbaijan" Project jointly organized by the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies (MoCHT) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Development Programme Country Office in Azerbaijan (UNDP CO in Azerbaijan) has started under the “Multi-stakeholder Platform for Regional Economic Growth and Cultural Development via ICT" theme. The relevant forum is co-organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), UN Internet Governance Forum Secretariat in Geneva, UNDP CO in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Internet Forum (AIF) and MoCHT. It should be noted that the Regional Internet Governance Forum was initated on the eve of the 7th Internet Governance Forum held in 2012 at Baku city and it is convened annually.

The purpose of the event is to realize joint cooperation and exchange of experience between National ICT participants and international specialists, at the same time to ensure involvement of regions in the Regional Internet Governance of Azerbaijan which is a regional hub of the ICT development in order to find more efficient and effective regional economic development and cultural progress in the application of the Internet, meanwhile demonstrate relevant interesting projects and discuss current issues related to the Internet.

The Deputy Minister of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Mr. Elmir Velizade, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP CO in the Republic of Azerbaijan - Mrs. Nato Alhazishvili, Senior Governance and Public Administration Officer of the UNDESA - Mr. Vyacheslav Cherkasov, Senior Director Global Stakeholder Engagement ICANN - Mr. Patrick Jones, European Regional Affairs Manager at Internet Society - Mrs. Maarit Palovrita, the President of AIF - Mr. Osman Gunduz and so forth high level attendess are participating in the event. All in all, 180-200 participants of Azerbaijan and other foreign countries, business representatives, academic institutions and members of civil society will get together to discuss contemporary issues related to the Internet (the transformation of government in the digital age: new development and trends in Open Government Data for Azerbaijan; Innovative possibilities for E-Participation in post-Soviet societies; Theoretical and practical aspects of innovations in the field of high technologies; Building capacities for e-education in Azerbaijan and the Eurasian region; Sustainable development and environmental protection through ICT innovations and etc.) within the framework of the two day event.

It should be noted that the First Regional Internet Governance Forum (RIGFAZ ) was held in Baku during last december. The relevant forum was the biggest event to be organized in this field in both Azerbaijan and region. Member of the State Duma of Russian Federation - Mr. Robert Shlegel, the Head of sub-regional department of UNESCAP for Northern and Central Asia - Mr. Nikolay Pomoshnikov, Senior Governance and Public Administration Officer of the UNDESA - Mr. Vyacheslav Cherkasov, Vise Predisent of ICANN - H.E. Mr. Nigel Hickson, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP CO in the Republic of Azerbaijan - Mrs. Nato Alhazishvili and so forth high level guests took part at the relevant event.