Baku hosts first Ministerial Meeting on ICT of Turkic Council member states

The first Ministerial Meeting on information and communication technologies of the member countries of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) was held in Baku. 
 
The meeting organised by the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies was attended by the ICT Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.   
 
The participants of the meeting discussed multilateral cooperation mechanisms and new opportunities for the development of ICT, as well as initiatives and proposals supporting regional development.
 
The meeting began with a welcoming speech delivered by the Minister of Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade.
 
He said that purpose of the first Ministerial Meeting on information and communication technologies of the member countries of the Turkic Council is to discuss the realization of the initiative supported by the heads of states and to identify the activity directions.   
 
The Minister noted that Azerbaijan is committed to the successful development of economic and infrastructure projects among Turkic-speaking countries.
 
Speaking about the infrastructure projects, Ramin Guluzade emphasised the importance of the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) project, which was initiated by the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan. 
 
The Minister stressed that Turkic states, covering a large geographical area, must use the existing opportunities and take real steps towards the implementation of infrastructure projects like TASIM.   
 
Ramin Guluzade proposed that the development of broadband internet connection in the region be one of the directions of the Working Group’s activity.  
 
 “I am sure that the meetings of the Working Group on ICT of the Turkic Council, which will be held twice a year, and the Ministerial Meeting of the Turkic Council, which will take place every year, will give a boost to cooperation between our countries in this area and will serve as a new platform,” the Minister added.    
 
The Secretary General of the Turkic Council Ambassador Ramil Hasanov, Turkish Minister of Transport, Shipping and Communications Ahmet Arslan, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications of Kazakhstan Alan Azhibayevn and the Chairman of the State Committee for Information Technology and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic Bakyt Sharshembiev also spoke at the meeting.
 
 It was noted that there are potential opportunities for expanding cooperation among Turkic-speaking countries in such areas as satellite services, e-government solutions and cybersecurity.    
 
“Therefore, the member countries of the Turkic Council should take advantage of the opportunities being offered by prospective projects.”  
 
Then, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the National Post and Telegraph Directorate of Turkey and Azerpost LLC was signed.
  
At the end of the discussions, it was decided to establish 4 sub-groups of the Working Group:  on cybersecurity, e-government, TASIM project and satellite services.    
 
Note that the initiative to create a Working Group on ICT was put forward by the Republic of Azerbaijan at the last summit of the Turkic Council, and was supported by the heads of states.   

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