WUF13: Syria looks to replicate Azerbaijan’s ASAN public service model

Officials from Syria and Azerbaijan discussed cooperation in digital transformation and smart government services on the sidelines of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Syrian state media reported.

Syria’s Minister of Public Works and Housing, Mustafa Abdul Razzaq and Damascus Governor Maher Marwan Edlbi met with Ulvi Mehdiyev, chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations, also known as ASAN Service, to explore closer collaboration in digital governance and the exchange of technical expertise.

The talks focused on Azerbaijan’s experience in modernising public services, streamlining administrative procedures and developing integrated smart-government systems, according to a statement published on the Syrian ministry’s Telegram channel.

The two sides also discussed ways to improve institutional efficiency and expand the use of innovative digital solutions in government services.

During the visit, the Syrian delegation toured ASAN Service facilities and received briefings on the agency’s operational model and service delivery mechanisms. Azerbaijan’s ASAN Service is widely recognised for its one-stop-shop approach to public services and digital administration.

Syria is participating in WUF13, organised by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), which opened in the Azerbaijani capital on May 17 under the theme "Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities".

The forum has brought together ministers, urban development officials and policymakers from multiple countries to discuss housing, sustainable cities and urban resilience.

By Aghakazim Guliyev