Baku, Tokyo eye bilateral cooperation in ICT

By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and Japan have discussed the current and future bilateral cooperation in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT).

The discussion took place during an online meeting between Azerbaijan's Digital Development and Transport deputy minister Rovshan Rustamov with Japan's Internal Affairs and Communications deputy minister Yuji Sasaki on January 13.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the possibilities of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Japan within the framework of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The sides also discussed the participation in the elections to be held within the framework of the next ITU Plenipotentiary Conference.

It should be noted that Japan’s candidacy was nominated to the Council of the International Telecommunication Union, Seizo Onoe – to the post of Director of the ITU Standardization Bureau, Azerbaijan's candidacy – to the ITU Council, Sahiba Hasanova – to the ITU Radio Regulations Board.

Currently, Azerbaijan and Japan are cooperating in different fields of economy. Japanese companies in Azerbaijan work in the fields of oil and gas as well as agriculture. In 2020 the trade turnover between the two countries exceeded $200 million and the growth of this sector is forecasted to increase up to four times in the near future. In addition, Japan has invested $7.1 billion in Azerbaijan, during the entire period of cooperation between the two countries.

It should be also noted that 2022 is the “year of friendship between Azerbaijan and Japan”. 

Additionally, in 2021, Azerbaijan’s Energy Ministry and Japan’s TEPSCO company signed an agreement on the establishment of the “green energy” zone in the newly-liberated lands. The agreement envisages the effective use of renewable energy potential such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and bioenergy on the liberated territories. It considers the establishment of a “green energy” zone based on modern energy management approaches to supply the region with energy.

The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $251.1 million in the first 11 months of 2021.