“Micro, small, and medium businesses are the driving force of the modern economy, and the level of proficiency in digital technologies is among the indicators of the innovative development level of the country as a whole. The global pandemic has once again proven the importance of digitalization for the stable and sustainable development of SMBs. Digitalizing SMBs is among the important elements of the socio-economic development strategy until 2030 within the framework of the National Priorities developed by the Azerbaijani Government."

The Chairman of the Board of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA) Orkhan Mammadov stated that at a webinar on the Promotion of Digitalizing SMBs in the Eastern Partnership Countries arranged on May 18 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It was noted that the Agency promotes digitalizing SMBs through various support mechanisms, raising the level of knowledge and awareness, and expanding the electronic infrastructure. Thus, important digital economy system supporting mechanisms are the financial support provided by the Agency for the internal market research, funding educational, scientific, research, and support projects, and the issuance of a Startup Certificate. An online learning platform is being created as the basis for training and consulting services provided by the SMB development centers to improve the level of knowledge and skills of SMBs in digitalization. Work is underway to transfer services provided to entrepreneurs in a single space in the SMB houses to an online platform, and to do this, an e-SMB House portal is being created. An online sales platform is also being developed to promote and support online sales of SMBs’ products and services. At the event, it was also stated that the project ‘Promotion of Digitalizing Small and Medium Businesses in Azerbaijan’, recently launched with OECD support, could contribute to the government's efforts on developing the digital economy.

Powered by Froala Editor