This was stated by Ramid Namazov, chairman of the Milli Majlis Temporary Commission on Countering Foreign Interference and Hybrid Threats, during parliamentary public hearings on "Digital Development, Artificial Intelligence and Protection of Children from Harmful Effects on Social Media Platforms."
He noted that the rapid development of artificial intelligence, the creation of data centers and digitalization have become not just a technological trend but a strategic factor determining countries' future economic positions, competitiveness and national security.
Namazov emphasized that the strategic vision of President Ilham Aliyev played a special role in building Azerbaijan's digital architecture and overall digital transformation, and all stages of this process are linked to the head of state's personal involvement and decisions.
According to him, to understand the scale of the work done, it is enough to look at the legal acts adopted over the past four years.
The commission chairman recalled that on February 11 of this year, a meeting chaired by President Ilham Aliyev laid the foundation for a unified action plan called "New Digital Architecture of Azerbaijan." At that meeting, it was stated that reforms in the application of artificial intelligence, creation of data centers and digitalization determine the future development of countries, and Azerbaijan should include this direction among its priorities.
Namazov stressed that the meeting also listed the unique advantages Azerbaijan has in this area. According to him, the first advantage is the country's location between Asia and Europe, on the East-West and North-South transport corridors, as well as the potential to transform existing transport and energy infrastructure into fiber-optic corridors. He added that the second advantage is energy potential. Over the past 20 years, power generation capacity in Azerbaijan has nearly doubled, reaching 10,000 megawatts, and currently there is at least 2,000 megawatts of unused capacity, which is the main condition for data centers and AI infrastructure.
According to the commission chairman, the meeting emphasized that digitalization is not a choice but a necessity, and noted the importance of a comprehensive approach not only from a technological perspective but also in terms of human capital, investment climate, national security and international positions. Namazov noted that at the subsequent stage, institutional mechanisms in the field of digital development were created. According to him, by decree of President Ilham Aliyev, the Digital Development Council was established, and under the chairmanship of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, the Council was tasked with coordinating and monitoring the implementation of measures provided for in the "Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026–2028."
He noted that President Ilham Aliyev defined strategic directions, national priorities and long-term vision, while First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva ensures the implementation of this vision at the practical level, coordination between structures and control over results. Namazov stressed that the First Vice-President's leadership of this process shows that digital development is one of the highest priorities for the state and confirms the transition of Azerbaijan's digital transformation policy to the stage of systemic institutional management. The commission chairman added that at the first meeting of the Digital Development Council on June 29, First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva voiced important messages. According to him, in her speech, along with emphasizing the importance of studying international experience and applying successful models, she noted the need to make all decisions in accordance with Azerbaijan's national interests and real needs.
Namazov added that the Council's goal is not only to introduce new technologies but also to give a powerful impetus to the country's economy, attract investment, support local startups and create a more efficient public administration system.
He noted that cybersecurity also became one of the main issues at the meeting. According to him, artificial intelligence is developing faster than expected, and this, along with new opportunities, creates new threats. Therefore, readiness for risks in cybersecurity and information security is more important than ever.
Namazov pointed out that in parallel with deepening digitalization, the number, scale and complexity of cyberattacks, which are an important component of hybrid threats, are growing rapidly. The World Economic Forum also ranks cybersecurity risks and malicious activities carried out through technology among the top global threats. According to him, cyberattacks using artificial intelligence, supply chain risks and targeted threats against critical information infrastructure have already become everyday reality. The commission chairman recalled that at the February meeting, President Ilham Aliyev stated that last year Azerbaijan was subjected to an organized and aggressive cyberattack.
He added that the commission also informs the public about hybrid threats against the country. Namazov stressed that all this shows that as the digitalization process deepens and the geopolitical situation changes, cybersecurity ceases to be a technical issue and directly becomes a national security issue.