The “Azerbaijan Digital HUB” program of "AzerTelecom" LLC - the backbone internet provider connecting Azerbaijan to the global internet network that envisages transforming Azerbaijan into the Digital Center, as well as the Trans-Caspian backbone project executed within the mentioned program is in the spotlight of world mass media.
The news on the intergovernmental agreement being signed between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on the Trans-Caspian backbone project and its approval by both countries was published on the Hong-Kong based "Belt and Road News" portal, that presents news, analysis, and various views on the "One Belt, One Road Initiative" global project of China.
The news says that the intergovernmental agreement on laying the fiber-optic backbone cable line through the bottom of the Caspian Sea between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on the Trans-Caspian backbone project, was approved by the Government of Kazakhstan, and earlier by the Republic of Azerbaijan, the laying of the Trans-Caspian backbone cable is being carried out by "AzerTelecom" company, a subsidiary of the country's first mobile operator Bakcell from the Azerbaijani side, and by Kazakh telecommunication operators - "Transtelecom" and "KazTransCom" companies from the Kazakhstan side. It is noted that the purpose of the project is to create a digital telecommunication corridor (Digital Silk Road) that will pass through Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan from Europe to China through Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan route and, thus, transmit Internet traffic to Central Asia and China. It is also noted that the implementation of the project will contribute to the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI) project, initiated by China and will transform Azerbaijan into a telecommunication corridor of the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI).
The "Digital HUB" program is currently of great interest by the major countries of the Asian region. The Strategic Memorandum of Cooperation between "China Telecom", China`s global ICT company, and "AzerTelecom" signed during the 2nd “One Belt, One Road” International Forum which was held in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China recently, also demonstrates the interest of Chinese companies in this project.
Note that the "Digital HUB" program envisages the transformation of Azerbaijan into a Digital Center for the Caucasus, CIS, Central, and South Asia, the Middle East and surrounding regions, as well as the development of the national digital ecosystem and innovation environment in the country. The implementation of the program lays a firm basis for the country's National IT and National Innovation Strategy and will make an important contribution to the acceleration of digitization, flexible transformation to the digital economy, development of start-ups and IT architecture. The program will help bring the country's ICT system to the level of the most advanced world standards and allow the country to hold more advanced positions in the international rankings.
