Baku hosts UN Regional Workshop on Innovation and Technology

The 10th session of the United Nations Working Group on Knowledge-Based Development (WG on KBD) and Regional Workshop “Innovation Strategy, Technology Applications and Infrastructure for the SDGs” kicked off in Baku.

The two-day event is being held with the support of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies (MTCHT), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

The issues of implementation of innovation policy, technological innovation, exchange of knowledge and useful experience in the field of infrastructure expansion, promotion of regional cooperation in the context of achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are discussed at the event. For this purpose, representatives of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Project Working Group member states and representatives of UN agencies are taking part in the event.

The opening remarks were made by Deputy Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Elmir Velizade. He pointed out that innovative activities are crucial to achieving sustainable development goals in the modern world. He said that innovations in Azerbaijan, as well as in developed countries, are considered as a priority tool for durable and sustainable development of the country, strengthening its intellectual potential, promoting business, reducing poverty and unemployment, development of transparency and democracy in society.

"The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan said in his speech at the Davos Economic Forum in January this year that the future development of the country will depend on state support for innovation, technology, good governance, transparency and entrepreneurship. From this point of view, measures are being taken to develop innovative activity in Azerbaijan. The innovative policy of the state, which naturally promotes high innovation in the social sphere, is in the first place. The Development Concept "Azerbaijan 2020: Outlook for the Future" reflects the expansion of innovation activity in a qualitatively new dimension, the spread of innovative innovations and their application in the field of production."

Elmir Velizade said that relevant measures will be developed in the near future to expand innovation activity and accelerate its application.

Head of the Information Society and Innovative Development of Electronic Governance of the MTCHT Rashad Azizov made a presentation on "Innovation policy and strategy for sustainable development in Azerbaijan". In his speech, he informed the participants about the main goals of the innovation policy for the integration of the Azerbaijani economy into the world economy, analysis of "knowledge economy" and possible scenarios for application of innovations in the country.

The presentation and discussion of the ongoing SPECA Innovation Strategy project was held at the meeting. Head of Subregional Office for North and Central Asia of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Hirohito Toda, and head of the UNECE Innovation Policy Department Anders Jonsson also addressed the meeting.

It was noted at the event that the workshop has been organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, as well as by the European Economic Commissions since 2009. The last meeting was held in Bishkek in 2017.