• RENDEZVOUS
With the world heading towards a new era of digitisation and e-governance, Nepal has little to no choice but to develop and focus on upgrading its digital infrastructure in tune with the changing times. Sangay Sherpa from The Himalayan Times caught up with Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ashraf Shikhaliyev to gain insights on the prospects of e-governance and digitisation for landlocked countries and Azerbaijan's experience in establishing a one-door state agency to provide over 350 services under a single umbrella. Excerpts:
What are the areas in which Azerbaijan is looking to collaborate with Nepal? Can you share the details?
Our countries are collaborating in international platforms of bilateral forums including the United Nations and the Non- Aligned Movement (NAM). Nepal is one of the founding members of the NAM, while Azerbaijan is the current chair of the NAM.
We have always felt the support and dedication of the Nepalis in various initiatives that are on the agenda of the present chairmanship of NAM.
Recently, we established a NAM parliamentary network where the Nepali delegation took part at a very high level. It was an important expansion of movement for cooperation between the parliaments of NAM countries which was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. There was also a meeting of the NAM youth forum, a platform where future leaders of NAM countries got together to elevate the global agenda. These dimensions helped to further strengthen the movement, parliamentary network and youth forum. So, our cooperation in the multilateral forum is expanding and mutually beneficial for both countries. We are supporting each other's initiatives and also working towards improving our bilateral cooperation.
At present, it is crucial for landlocked countries like Azerbaijan and Nepal to develop their electronic governance, information and communication technologies, a sector without any boundaries. As Azerbaijan has some experience in the development of e-governance, we are ready to share them with our Nepali counterparts if they find it interesting.
What is ASAN and how was Azerbaijan's experience in e-governance and ASAN service?
In 2012, Azerbaijan established the Azerbaijan Service and Assessment Network (ASAN) service. The ASAN model has proven its usefulness in bringing 10 different ministries and around 40 private companies under one state agency. The idea is to provide a one-stop shop for all kinds of public services. The public can receive services related to registration of their birth, death and marriage, identity cards, passports, driver licences, real estate records, immigrant status and other civic services from their nearest ASAN centre or online.
At the same time, functional support services, including banking, insurance, legal support, and other services are also provided.
Just three years after its establishment, ASAN ranked first with the special prize in the category of 'Improvement of the public service delivery' at the UN awarding ceremony out of 800 other applicants. ASAN is also known for being efficient, corruption-free, and the best example of e-governance.
Feedback from service-seekers and surveys conducted among the public regarding the level of satisfaction received at ASAN centres are thoroughly monitored daily to improve the mode of providing services to the public. There are over 350 services provided under one roof and the level of satisfaction is measured at 99 per cent. New types of services that are provided under ASAN should also meet the required standard in providing efficient and better services.
Also, ASAN monitors the performance of the 10 ministries under it and rates them accordingly, ensuring improvements in terms of providing timely services, which eventually benefits the public.
It is also easy and efficient for foreigners applying for tourist visas or business registration in Azerbaijan through ASAN. People who have met the required criteria set by the government to operate business can receive approval through ASAN in two days. ASAN service is famously known for its ASAN Visa. Eligible people from anywhere in the world can receive urgent visas for Azerbaijan within a few hours from the comfort of their mobile devices, while standard visas take up to three days.
In terms of expanding ASAN services to rural areas of our country, we introduced ASAN buses that travel to the remote regions on specific days and provide the necessary services required by the public.
In some rural areas, the ASAN life concept was introduced. ASAN centres have been built in specific rural areas with added facilities, including a park, cinemas, and playgrounds for children etcetera. A whole family can enjoy their day in such centres while also receiving the public service they seek.
ASAN also has helped create a sustainable business and production environment through its ABAD initiative which allows businesses to reside under state protocols through e governance for standard distribution of goods in the market. We created a platform that eases in sustaining businesses as well as creating jobs through it. Such a model can definitely make an impact on a country's economy as well as promote small and medium enterprises.
What are the prospects of ASAN in least developed and developing countries? Is it possible to integrate such a modality in Nepal?
Yes, there are a lot of prospects. If Nepal establishes something similar to our e-Visa procedures, the number of tourist arrivals in Nepal will increase not only from Azerbaijan but from across the globe. With cooperation in the IT sector, it will also ease Nepal in distributing its services to the public in a reliable and efficient way.
We can surely collaborate in inviting Nepali delegates to visit our ASAN centre to get the idea of how the agency is run while also sending our software developers to assist in developing skilled manpower for the implementation of modality similar to ASAN. If the people and the government are confident of services, we will push initiatives for the integration of similar modalities in Nepal as well.
What is the way forward?
Being landlocked countries, Azerbaijan and Nepal share a wonderful relation and we want to expand our bilateral trade operations as well. Being landlocked nations, we want to focus on developing information communication technologies and high-end tech products because that is the future. The world will be more digitised and increasingly dependent on high-tech products, which is why countries that have geographical disadvantage will have to capitalise on intellectual human manpower. That is why electronic governance, information and communication technology need to be focused by governments of landlocked nations. I also hope Azerbaijan and Nepal will start and expand cooperation in such areas, including trade, tourism, among others.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 13, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.