E-Service

Basic operating principles and importance of the E-government

In recent years, formation of E-government is considered one of the factors in further development of democracy in developed countries.

E-government through the use of modern information technologies creates conditions for providing information and e-services to all citizens residing in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, legal and physical persons, foreign citizens and stateless persons by government bodies.

The main objective of the created opportunities is to reduce the ‘distance’ between civil servants and citizens in provision of social services, as well as simplify and make these relations transparent. The widespread use of electronic services by public authorities, increasing their number and improving their quality and enhancing citizens’ satisfaction with the services are means of achieving this goal. In accordance with the international practice, e- government portal, which is organized on the basis of “single window” principle where e-services are provided by government agencies, is applied to organize contacts between citizens and public authorities in a more appropriate way. The formation of e-government in our country is based on the international practice and a legal framework for its activity was established by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan “ On the approval of State Program (E-Azerbaijan) for the development of communication and information technologies in Azerbaijan Republic in 2010-2012”, and by the Decree on approval of “Some measures for provision of electronic services by government agencies” dated 23 May 2011 and other normative legal acts. The Ministry of Communications and High Technologies (MCHT) as the coordinator of the work done in this area is working closely with other government agencies for the formation of e-government and is performing activities for the creation of appropriate infrastructure. Today the country has National Certification Services Center for the use of e-signatures, infrastructure providing information exchange between information systems of government agencies was built and e-government portal was developed and launched. Taking advantage of these, all government agencies are now able to provide electronic services to citizens. Key operating principles of e-government:

* Compliance with the requirements of current legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan;

* Implementation of state policy in the field of informatization, protection of state and national interests;

* Ensuring opportunities for protection of completeness, authenticity, relevance and security of the information provided to users and obtaining it in a simple and prompt way;

* Division of powers and responsibilities among government agencies The importance of e-government:

* Expanding the use of modern technologies in public administration, raising the level of activities carried out and facilitation of access to them;

* Increasing the efficiency of government agencies and local self-government bodies and improving the quality of electronic services ;

* Optimization of the e-services provided to users by government agencies and simplification of their implementation procedures;

* Ensuring free access, the authenticity, completeness and reliability of the information presented to users via e-services;

* Maximum reduction of time spent to find out and obtain information according to user’s request;

* Availability of the electronic services offered throughout the country regardless of the user’s geographical location.

Taking advantage of the opportunities of the virtual space, modern technologies, high level of informatization in government agencies, the e-government provides services offered to citizens in a qualitative and new form.