The relevant attendees engage in discussing the technical, organizational and legal issues related to the national Internet use.

Similar regional forums enable an in-depth and efficient analysis of the Internet governance issues at the local level; this knowledge can be subsequently transferred into conclusions and recommendations elaborated at the global IGF.

Regional forums increase technical experience related to internet governance and make regional countries aware about all processes and innovations.

After the 7th Meeting of the Internet Governance Forum held in Azerbaijan by the UN and the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan under the motto of “Internet Governance for Sustainable Human, Economic and Social Affairs” Azerbaijan increased the interest to this topic.

Before the IGF 2012 in Baku,  Azerbaijan has participated in all previous IGFs – Athens (Greece) in 2006, Rio De Janeiro (Brazil) in 2007, Hyderabad (India) in 2008, Sharm-El-Sheikh (Egypt) in 2009, Vilnius (Lithuania) in 2010, Nairobi (Kenya) in 2011, and had exchange of experience and showed achievements.

Azerbaijan joined the group of regionally held IGFs in 2013.

It worth to remind that on December 3-5, 2013 the 1st Regional Internet Governance Forum Azerbaijan (RIGFAZ) under the motto “Internet as an Engine for Regional Growth and Advancement” was held in Baku.

Traditionally organized within the BakuTel international telecommunications and information technologies exhibition the 1st RIGFAZ was supported and held in partnership with UNDESA, UNDP CO Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies and Azerbaijan Internet Forum.

“Internet Governance as development of regional affairs: New trends, opportunities and risks”, “Social networks and Social media as a solution for digital divide”, “Regional information security, Cybercrime”, “Internet Governance in Azerbaijan”, “National Internet Infrastructure” and other related topics were discussed within the framework of regional forum. It should be noted that RIGFAZ 2013 was the first ever thematic forum not only in Azerbaijan but in the whole region.

The Forum was attended by Elmir Velizadeh, Deputy Minister of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan,  Robert Shlegel, Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation,  Nikolay Pomoshnikov, Head of the Subregional Office for North and Central Asia, ESCAP, Vyacheslav Cherkasov, Senior Governance and Public Administration Officer, UNDESA,  Nigel Hickson, Vice President of ICANN,  Natalia Alhazishvili, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP CO Azerbaijan and other more than 300 distinguished guests.

Traditionally, this year on 2-3 December, the 2nd Regional Internet Governance Forum will be organized under the motto of “Multi-stakeholder Platform for Regional Economic Growth and Cultural Development via ICT”  as part of the “Modernization of Sustainability and Efficiency of ICT infrastructure and ICT services in the Republic of Azerbaijan” project realized  jointly by UNDP and the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan

The 2nd RIGFAZ will be held with the support of UNDESA, IGF Geneva Secretariat, UNDP CO Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Internet Forum and the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan. 

The main goal of the RIGFAZ 2014 is to provide proper opportunities for exchange of experience and cooperation between local participants and international experts.

The representatives of governments, businesses, scientific and civil societies of Azerbaijan and other countries will come together to discuss “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”, “Building capacities for e-education in Azerbaijan and the Eurasian region”, “Sustainable development and environmental protection through ICT innovations” and other urgent topics during the 2nd  RIGFAZ.