Azerbaijan, France seek new opportunities to upgrade ties
France intends to implement certain projects jointly with Azerbaijan, and familiarity with the country was the very intention which brought Jean-Vincent Place, Minister of State for State Reform and Simplification, attached to the Prime Minister to Baku on February 8.
France-Azerbaijan ties have historical roots and a recent increase in the number of high-level mutual visits testify to the development of relations between the two countries.
The French minister had a meeting with members of the Azerbaijani government as well as heads of various economic institutions in the country.
Mr. Place got familiar with ASAN Xidmet (Easy Service) State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations, created by the presidential decree in 2012.
ASAN Service with 11 centers across the country provides venues for state agencies to render their services in a uniformed and coordinated manner.
The service could reduce extra expenses and loss of time for many citizens, upgrade the level of professionalism, ensure broader use of electronic services and increase transparency and strengthen the fight against corruption.
President Ilham Aliyev had a meeting with the French minister on February 8, during which he expressed confidence that Mr. Place’s visit to Azerbaijan will create a great opportunity for familiarity with the country.
President Aliyev also voiced his hope that the forthcoming meetings will be interesting in terms of upgrading the relations.
During the meeting, the sides highlighted the successful activity of Asan xidmәt service and cooperation opportunities in this area. It was stressed that a few departments in France launched a mobile version of the service in buses. The sides also exchanged views over Azerbaijan’s implementing this service in some African countries in collaboration with France.
Hailing French-Azerbaijani cooperation in the environmental protection, Mr. Place, who is also President of the Senate's Ecologist parliamentary group, voiced his desire to view Azerbaijan’s work to protect the environment.
Commenting on the cooperation with ASAN Xidmet, the French minister told reporters that they had discussions with the service management on bilateral cooperation.
“Besides, we are willing to implement projects to develop e-government portal. The main goal is to conduct the exchange of experience. France has some experience on e-government. We can benefit from ASAN mobile buses in many departments. We held and will hold several meetings in connection with partnership opportunities in the field of open government,” the minister said.
Talking about education, Mr. Place said that the cooperation between Azerbaijan and France in this field stands at a high level, and French companies are represented here at the highest level.
During his visit to the French lyceum in Baku on February 9, Mr. Place said that relations between Azerbaijan and France are developing at a good level. Visits of officials of different levels from both sides reflect “dynamism of our relations. he added.
The state minister also shared his impressions of the visit to French lyceum. He thanked all those who contributed to realization of this project, “which features an example of multiculturalism in the country”.
As part of the visit, Mr. Place was received by FM Elmar Mammadyarov, where the parties highlighted development of all the spheres between the two countries, in particular, economy, energy, and culture.
They spoke of French companies successfully operating in Azerbaijan, especially energy producer and provider Total. Talking about newly-opened French-Azerbaijani University in Baku, the sides expressed confidence that the institution would give impetus for the expansion of cultural relations between the two states.
Touching upon Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mammadyarov said that France as a co-chair country of OSCE Minsk Group should strengthen efforts in resolution of the long-lasting conflict emerged in 1990s as a result of Armenian illegal territorial claims on Azerbaijan.