Azerbaijan on top for ICT progress among CIS states - WEF report

According to the World Economic Forum New Global Information Technology Report 2013, alongside with Kazakhstan (43rd) and Russia (54th), Azerbaijan is the most developed country for ICT among CIS states.

According to The Networked Readiness Index 2013, Azerbaijan scored 4.11 out of 7 possible points and ranked 56th in the world, compared to 61st place a year earlier. Russia, in turn, received 4.13 points and rose from 56th up to 54th place. However, it failed to catch up with Kazakhstan which won 4.32 points and took off from 55th up to 43rd place. The above-listed countries made Top 3 of the network leaders in the CIS.

The Global Information Technology Report 2013, the 12th in the series, analyses the impact and influence of ICTs on economic growth and jobs in a hyperconnected world. At the core of the report, the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) measures the preparedness of an economy to use ICT to boost competitiveness and well-being. In this edition, Finland (1st), Singapore (2nd) and Sweden (3rd) continue to lead the NRI, with the Netherlands (4th), Norway (5th), Switzerland (6th), the United Kingdom (7th), Denmark (8th), the United States (9th) and Taiwan, China (10th) completing the top 10.

The report highlights the lack of progress in bridging the new digital divide – not only in terms of developing ICT infrastructure but also in economic and social impact. Despite rapid adoption of mobile telephony, most developing economies lag behind advanced economies due to environments that are insufficiently conducive to innovation and competitiveness. On the other hand, the report shows the progress that countries are making to fully use ICT to boost higher productivity, economic growth and quality jobs in the current economic environment. Finally, the report reveals an apparent investment threshold in ICT, skills and innovation beyond which return on investment increases significantly.

The Global Information Technology Report 2013, with a record coverage of 144 economies, remains one of the most comprehensive and authoritative assessment of the impact of ICT on the competitiveness of nations and the well-being of their citizens.


/AzerTAc/