DIGITAL ASPECTS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE: EXPERIENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

Abstract

This study analyzes the experience of the Republic of Azerbaijan within the framework of digital governance and good governance. The integration of digital technologies into public administration has enabled the implementation of good governance principles such as transparency, accountability, participation, and efficiency in a more effective and inclusive manner. The article presents the conceptual foundations of digital governance based on the theoretical frameworks of international organizations (World Bank, UNDP, OECD) and scholars (Jane Fountain, Manuel Castells, Merilee Grindle, Francis Fukuyama). Azerbaijan’s institutional steps in this field – including ASAN Service, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the Electronic Government Development Center, the Digital Trade Hub, and the Cyber Security Service – demonstrate a systematic approach to the digitalization process. Statistical indicators, the ASAN Service Index, and examples of top-rated digital services are used to illustrate the concrete outcomes of digital governance. The article concludes that digitalization is not merely a technological process but a structural reform that brings qualitative change to citizen–government relations. Azerbaijan’s experience provides an important example for developing countries in transforming digital governance into a core component of good governance.