BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 13. Fariz Jafarov, Executive Director of the Center for Analysis and Coordination of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) under the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, took part in an online meeting dedicated to shaping national agendas within the framework of the World Economic Forum’s Network of Fourth Industrial Revolution Centers (WEF).
This was announced in a report published by C4IR.
According to the report, the meeting discussed the contribution of the centers within the network to the development of strategic initiatives at the national level, as well as successful experiences in this area.
Fariz Jafarov presented information on the "Strategy for the Development of the Digital Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026–2029." It was noted that the strategy aims to accelerate digital transformation in business, society, and the public sector, develop digital skills, and strengthen data-driven governance.
The strategy covers 9 priority areas and 50 initiatives.
The presentation covered the Industry 4.0 ecosystem established in Azerbaijan, support for the technological and "green" transformation of enterprises, the development of human capital, and the adoption of new technologies. It was noted that, as part of the strategy, the plan is to engage 300 enterprises in digital transformation programs by 2029, create 250 new industry-specific startups, provide access to digital markets for 200 SMEs, and involve 40,000 citizens in specialized training.
At the meeting, attended by the heads of 24 centers within the network, as well as Manju George, Head of Strategic Impact and Integration for the Centre for Frontier Technologies and Innovation, she shared her experience working with Fourth Industrial Revolution centers in Azerbaijan, Rwanda, and Malaysia. During the meeting, participants exchanged views on effectively contributing to the development of national programs, collaborating with stakeholders, successful approaches, and current challenges.
Meanwhile, earlier, Fariz Jafarov, Executive Director of the Center for Analysis and Coordination of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (С4IR), told Trend that the adoption in 2025 of the documents "Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence in the Republic of Azerbaijan 2025–2028" and the "Strategy for the Development of the Digital Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan 2026–2029" in 2025 had, for the first time, brought the country’s digital and technological transformation together into a unified, measurable, and results-oriented system.
"Starting in 2026, С4IR’s priorities will be directly linked to the implementation of the ‘Strategy for the Development of the Digital Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026–2029’ and will focus on the practical implementation of the key initiatives outlined in this strategy. In this context, С4IR’s main priorities will be to expand the application of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, digital twins, and generative artificial intelligence, across various sectors of the national economy, particularly in industry and the business sector, as well as the implementation of technological transformation programs at enterprises and the establishment of data-driven decision-making mechanisms," he noted.
In addition, Anton Aristov, managing director and partner at the global consulting firm Boston Consulting Group, headquartered in Boston (U.S.), stated in an exclusive interview with Trend that Azerbaijan could play a key role in the implementation of artificial intelligence in the energy sector.
"Our top priority in transforming Azerbaijan into a regional innovation hub is to establish sustainable ties with the global artificial intelligence ecosystem. We are working with investors from Silicon Valley and aim to attract venture capital so that the project can develop independently on a large scale and ultimately provide services to other energy companies. "Once our first pilot project is approved, we will be able to export to the world the knowledge created in Azerbaijan—knowledge developed here and tested on challenges in the country’s energy sector," he said.
