Important decisions determining the country's digital future were adopted at a meeting held on February 11, 2026, chaired by President Ilham Aliyev. By Decree of the Head of State, the Digital Development Council was established with the aim of defining priorities in the fields of digitalization, e-government, artificial intelligence, and innovation, and strengthening national technological potential and digital sovereignty. The establishment of the Council will ensure the unified and coordinated implementation of state policy in this area, as well as accelerate the transition to an innovation-based economic model. Concurrently, in accordance with the priorities identified at the meeting, the "Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development for 2026-2028" was approved. This strategic document encompasses comprehensive measures and strategic goals that will transform the country's technological landscape over the next three years. At the same time, optimizing public administration, improving the country's position in international rankings, and increasing the share of the digital sector of the economy in GDP have been identified as key objectives.
To enhance efficiency in governance and implement strategic goals, a clear institutional responsibility mechanism has been established within the framework of the Action Plan. For this purpose, it has been decided to appoint a responsible person directly in charge of digitalization, innovation, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity at the deputy head level in each state p (institution). Furthermore, by establishing a mechanism for centralizing the approval of digital development expenditures of state bodies (institutions), the aim is to increase the effectiveness of state investments and ensure the full compliance of digital projects with a unified architecture.
One of the main innovations of digital development is the elimination of fragmentation in the provision of public services and the transition to a unified centralized system. Thus, all digital public services, including documents, will be provided to citizens and entrepreneurs exclusively through the "mygov" and "mygov Biznes" platforms. Individual portals and mobile applications of separate agencies will be abolished and integrated into a single ecosystem, which will contribute to improving service quality.
In addition to digitizing existing services, the Plan also envisages a transition to a proactive model. According to this approach, some services will be automatically provided based on system integration and data exchange, without the need for additional requests from citizens. The implementation of the "Once Only" principle will minimize repeated document requests, thereby removing bureaucratic obstacles. Concurrently, the creation of a "state data pool" and the integration of various information resources into it will ensure the accuracy, completeness, and precision of data.
Another important direction is strengthening the financial sustainability of the innovation ecosystem and increasing ICT exports. Within this framework, the formation of the legal basis for venture financing, crowdfunding, and the "angel investors" institution is envisaged, as well as the creation of a "Fund of Funds" with the participation of local and international venture capital funds. Support for local innovative products in public procurement and making open data accessible to businesses and startups via APIs are planned. The introduction of "digital nomad" and "digital talent" visas to attract global talent, as well as tax incentives for freelancers, will strengthen Azerbaijan's position as a regional technology hub.
The integration of modern technologies, especially artificial intelligence, into state and societal life is also among the main priorities. In this direction, the establishment of high-level computing infrastructure and the improvement of services with AI-based solutions are envisaged. The application of virtual assistants that will provide 24/7 service to citizens will be expanded, a legal framework will be formed for the nationwide implementation of artificial intelligence solutions successfully tested in the "Regulatory Sandbox," and the full integration of successful models into public services will be ensured.
To ensure cybersecurity in the digital environment, the national cybersecurity ecosystem will also be strengthened. The establishment of specialized centers for National Security Operations, National Cyber Incident Response, and investigative activities in the digital sphere is planned for resilient defense against cyberattacks, investigation of their consequences, and coordination of mitigation efforts. The integration of all public services into the E-Government Information System and the completion of the transition of state information resources and systems to the "Government Cloud" will enhance information security, including cybersecurity. This approach reflects a new stage of full digital transformation in Azerbaijan's public administration and economic model.
The Action Plan is aligned with the Strategy on Information Security and Cybersecurity, the Digital Development Concept, and the Artificial Intelligence Strategy, and integrates concrete measures that ensure the implementation of the objectives defined in these documents. Thus, strategic vision, priorities, and implementation mechanisms are concentrated in a unified governance model.
