The first international conference on “Digital Trade Hub of Azerbaijan: Development Perspectives” was held in Baku on the initiative of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The conference started with an opening speech made by Executive Director of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications Vusal Gasimli. He said that Digital Trade Hub of Azerbaijan is, first of all, an excellent example of cooperation between the public and private sectors in e-trade and e-commerce.
Digital Trade Hub of Azerbaijan is of great importance in terms of creation of single electronic and digital space on the Great Silk Road and in Europe.
Discussions at the international conference were held in several panels.
Head of Azexport.az portal Zaur Gardashov, Director of the Data Processing Center of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies (MTCHT) Elnar Asadov, Head of Registration Department of the Ministry of Taxes Muslum Shafiyev, President of Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Rufat Mammadov, Director of Strategy Department of Pasha Bank Agshin Mirzazade participated in the third panel of the conference.
Director of Data Processing Center Elnar Asadov made a presentation on the topic of “Implementation of electronic signature in e-commerce”. He informed the participants about the advantages of electronic signature and its prospects for e-commerce. In his speech, Elnar Asadov spoke about the global e-commerce statistics and the impact of electronic signature, which acts as a tool for identification and verification of e-commerce transactions carried out within digital commerce, on the process.
Detailed information was also provided on the activity of the Root Center based on the hierarchical model in the Public Key Infrastructure of the National Certification Services Center of the MTCHT in our country. It was noted that one of the functions of the Center is the issuance of advanced certificates to all centers that include in the hierarchical structure. The Root Center, which is at the top of the structure conducts registration of second-level centers (Center of Government Bodies, Electronic Government Center, Certification Services Center of the Ministry of Taxes, Certification Services Center of the Central Bank) and regulates their activities.
The National Certification Services Center cooperates with 12356 government agencies, state organizations and municipalities, 35020 civil and business entities. In the period between 2016 and 2017, 41714 electronic signature certificates were issued. Electronic signatures were used some 23 million times during 2015-2017.
Speaking about the implementation of electronic signature in e-commerce, Elnar Asadov noted the possibility of its application in internet banking, insurance services, virtual offices, e-orders, e-contracts and e-payments. And also noted that new generation ID cards to be issued to Azerbaijani citizens starting from 2018, will hold electronic signature certificates. Potentially, over 8 million 200 thousand citizens of the country will be electronic signature owners, which will, of course, make them active participants in e-commerce.
In his speech, Elnar Asadov said regulation of international cooperation in the field of electronic signature is carried out by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Electronic Signature and Electronic Document”. He also touched upon the role of mutual recognition of electronic signatures on an international scale in the development of interstate electronic commerce. It was noted that the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, as the central executive body in the field of electronic signature, considers this direction a priority and continues negotiations with foreign countries in this regard. Initially, negotiations began with Turkey, Iran, Qatar and Ukraine. Currently, the work is also under way to strengthen the electronic services and e-commerce development project in the Republic of Azerbaijan with the support of European Union. Under the project, standards for e-Government, e-IDAS and e-commerce are being developed.
Speakers noted that the conference, organized by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications, serves the development of electronic commerce in our country and they highly appreciated the Center’s activity in this field.