The COVID-19 pandemic has defined a new normal in business. In general, the “new normal” refers to the widespread adoption and implementation of a set of changes. Today, based on this new paradigm, businesses have been forced to undergo digital transformation in order to sustain their operations. Competitive companies have begun to organize their activities online, provide services remotely, and establish collaboration through video conferencing. Although the pandemic is expected to end in the near future, these changes introduced by the new normal are likely to remain with us for a long time.
The Head of the Digital Trade Hub, Nicat Asadli, stated that this is due to the fact that the new normal is faster, more efficient, and more convenient than traditional business practices. While businesses are only now becoming familiar with the advantages of digital transformation under the new normal, the Digital Trade Hub (DTH), established by decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, began implementing this approach as early as 2017. Over this period, the Hub has implemented numerous innovative projects across various areas and has provided innovative services to both local and international business representatives.
The Digital Trade Hub of Azerbaijan became the second platform in the world, after Estonia, to offer electronic residency and the first to introduce mobile residency. Integrations were developed to enable m-Residents to start businesses remotely, open bank accounts, and access public services, thereby creating new opportunities. As a result, m-Residents became familiar with the concept of the new normal in business long before others. More than 100 foreign entrepreneurs from 30 countries, recognizing the advantages of this model, have applied for the program and obtained Azerbaijan’s digital residency.
N. Asadli also noted that the new normal introduced by the Digital Trade Hub has also been extended to local entrepreneurs. Through the website www.dth.az, the Online Single Export Application has provided individuals and legal entities with the opportunity to apply electronically for export-related documents. Through this platform, entrepreneurs have been able to submit fully online applications to obtain a Free Sale Certificate using their ASAN Signature. Work has also begun on restructuring the Online Single Export Application based on the “only-once” principle and an intelligent logic framework. In the near future, certificates of origin, phytosanitary, veterinary, food safety certificates, and customs declarations will also be available through a unified online window.
In the new normal environment, services must be built on the most advanced technological infrastructure. For this reason, the system established at the Digital Trade Hub is based on X-Road 6 and 7 technologies. This system, used by countries such as Estonia, Finland, and Japan, will facilitate faster and more efficient data exchange in future international cooperation. The implementation of such advanced systems within the Digital Trade Hub in Azerbaijan will contribute to the transition toward a “smart nation” concept in the coming years and support the establishment of a similarly named center in the country within the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Thus, the innovations offered by the Digital Trade Hub for both local and international business participants, as well as representatives of the public and private sectors, will not only increase user satisfaction but also act as a catalyst for a faster transition to the new normal created by the pandemic. It should also be noted that this potential of the portal has been widely highlighted in articles published by internationally recognized platforms such as www.e-estonia.com and www.coindesk.com.