Azerbaijan

EU4Digital will improve the work of government institutions, boost economic diversification by promoting growth and jobs, and improve the lives of Azerbaijani citizens. The harmonisation of digital markets through EU4Digital will result in improved online services at better prices and with greater choice for all people.

Development of the digital economy is a priority area for Azerbaijan, including a focus on the centralisation of e-services and the digitisation of public services. The government’s social and economic strategy features digital transformation in its priority areas.

Azerbaijan aims to increase the population’s internet connectivity by 2024. The cybersecurity strategy that has been developed, with an accompanying focus on data privacy legislation, aims to support the country’s digitalisation.

In close cooperation with the World Bank, the EU funded an Administrative Agreement for the Azerbaijan Rapid Technical Assistance Facility (AZTAF) (2022). This three-year programme will respond to and support the government’s priorities, among which are ‘Smart Villages’ and digital connectivity.

The EU and EBRD are supporting the rollout of state-of-the-art broadband connectivity infrastructure to more than 280,000 households in Azerbaijan, by providing a loan of up to USD 50 million, financed from the Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership. This loan, provided to Aztelekom under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, will support expansion of the network to improve speed, capacity and bandwidth, bridging the digital divide between the capital and rural areas.

For more information about the EU’s relations with Azerbaijan, visit:

• EU4Azerbaijan website
• Delegation of the European Union to Azerbaijan website