BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10. The Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker, Sahiba Gafarova, has participated in the high-level dialogue of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on the topic of "Parliamentarians' Dialogue on Digital Governance".
This was reported by the Press and Public Relations Department of the Milli Majlis (Parliament of Azerbaijan).
In her speech, Gafarova, who joined the event in an online format, stated that the topic of digital governance is increasingly gaining importance for the international community. According to her, digital transformation is no longer just a technological process. It has become a key element of modern governance, sustainable development, and the provision of efficient public services.
The speaker noted that digital governance has become one of the main pillars of modern parliamentary institutions. By using digital technologies, parliaments can increase transparency, improve the efficiency of legislative activities, strengthen public participation, and promote inclusive dialogue among all stakeholders. She said that digital transformation also creates new opportunities for the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation, expanding the exchange of knowledge and best practices beyond borders.
Emphasizing that digital governance should be based on the principles of inclusivity, accessibility, accountability, cybersecurity, and the protection of human rights, including the right to privacy, Gafarova also said that bridging the digital divide is the shared responsibility in terms of ensuring that all parliaments and citizens benefit equally from the digital transformation process.
She expressed an opinion that digital technologies should act as an important tool supporting democratic governance, strengthening public trust in state institutions, and serving the development of an open, transparent, and citizen-responsive parliamentary dialogue. Joint efforts to strengthen international cooperation and build capacity will be key to ensuring that digital governance contributes to sustainable development, strengthening democratic stability, and the formation of effective parliamentary institutions.
Stressing the relevant important role of parliaments, Gafarova noted that the responsibility of parliaments is not only to adopt legislation that keeps pace with technological changes, but also to ensure that digital transformation is implemented based on the principles of transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.
Highlighting in her speech the great importance Azerbaijan attaches to the development of digital governance, she pointed out that as part of this approach, the Digital Development Council was established by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan to coordinate state policy in the fields of digitalization, e-government, artificial intelligence, and innovation. She said that the council is chaired by First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva.
The event participants were informed that the Parliament of Azerbaijan is actively working to strengthen the legal framework for digital innovations and, at the same time, ensure legal certainty. A significant part of the legislative activity of the Azerbaijani parliament is dedicated to the development of digital governance and e-government. New laws are being adopted to support the digital transformation of Azerbaijan, and the existing legislation is being regularly improved in accordance with technological progress and new requirements in the field of governance.
Noting that the current legislative reforms include concepts such as digital technologies, innovative products, and technology transfer in national legislation, Gafarova pointed out that the legal status of artificial intelligence is being determined, and long-term tax breaks are envisaged for companies operating in the fields of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. According to her, these reforms once again show that digital transformation requires the formation of a coherent and future-oriented legal framework that can respond flexibly to rapidly developing technologies.
The speech noted that legislative reforms are only part of this process. Parliaments should also effectively use digital solutions in their activities. Taking this into account, Gafarova, who noted that the Azerbaijani parliament pays special attention to the digital transformation of its institutional activities, also recalled that a law was recently adopted that creates a legal basis for holding public discussions and parliamentary hearings in electronic format, thereby further expanding the opportunities for citizens to participate in the decision-making process.
Gafarova, speaking about the use of digital technologies in parliamentary work, noted that digital technologies have now become an integral part of parliamentary activities. She pointed out that electronic document management, electronic voting systems, and systems for monitoring the legislative process help to increase the transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness of government bodies.
In the Parliament of Azerbaijan, artificial intelligence is also used for automatic transcription of speeches at committee and plenary sessions, which increases the efficiency of parliamentary activities and ensures the accuracy of parliamentary transcripts. In addition, through a mobile application developed by the relevant department of the parliament, deputies and parliamentary staff can securely access draft laws, official correspondence, and citizen appeals, as well as receive operational information about committee meetings, public hearings, and other parliamentary activities.
In conclusion, Gafarova underscored that digital transformation is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve better governance. It strengthens democratic institutions, improves the quality of legislation, and makes the activities of parliaments more transparent, more efficient, and more responsive to the needs of citizens. Cooperation, exchange of best practices, and technical support between parliaments that are IPU members are of great importance for advancing their common goals.
