By Frank Kamuntu
The President of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday met a delegation from the Republic of Azerbaijan led by His Excellency Ulvi Mehdiyev, the Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
H.E Mehdiyev is also the chairman of Azerbaijan Service and Assessment Network (ASAN) which is a state agency for public services to citizens of Azerbaijan.
The agency, whose goal is to make services more easily accessible to citizens using modern technologies is part of the large-scale reforms in the field of public administration that were introduced eleven years ago by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan His Excellency llham Aliyev.
In the meeting at State House Entebbe that was also attended by officials from the Ministry of Public Service, Mr. Mehdiyev and his delegation introduced the “ASAN” concept to President Museveni which they seek to introduce in Uganda to improve public service management.
“ASAN Service proved quite a revolutionary initiative. Since its inception, “SAN Service” has gained global recognition for its excellence in public service and social innovations and quickly evolved into Azerbaijan’s unique intellectual property,” H.E Mehdiyev told President Museveni who welcomed the idea.
“We are already working on it, but I’m told that you are more advanced. So, we will be very happy to welcome that center here. I will be very happy with Mr. Aliyev (the President of Azerbaijan) to lay the foundation stone for that center,” President Museveni said.
The word “asan” means “easy” in Azerbaijani and according to Chairman Mehdiyev, they are already cooperating with around 20 countries about the replication of Azerbaijani model of “ASAN service”.
Mr. Mehdiyev informed the meeting, that on September 2018, Uganda and Azerbaijan concluded a Memorandum of Understanding for implementing the Azerbaijani “ASAN Service” experience in Uganda and since then “ASAN service” and the Ministry of Public Service have engaged in close cooperation to organize mutual visits for collaborative growth.
“The establishment of the ASAN concept is a reform in the field of public administration. Implementation of this reform in Uganda through your strong political will and support will be the next valuable contribution to the further development of the welfare of the Ugandan people,” Mr. Mehdiyev noted, adding that a modern ASAN based Service Uganda Center can be established and the inauguration ceremony may be held by the participation of the leaders of both countries within the framework of the Non- Aligned Movement (NAM) Kampala Summit.
President llham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan is expected in Uganda to attend the 19th Summit of the NAM Heads of State and Government in Kampala next year in which Uganda will take over its leadership to last up to 2026.
Mr. Mehdiyev thanked Uganda for actively supporting Azerbaijan’s initiatives within NAM and called for more support in the establishment of NAM women platform.
“If you consider it positively, we can implement this process as a joint initiative of Uganda and Azerbaijan,” he said.
The good relations between Uganda and Azerbaijan have consistently enhanced collaboration in many areas, including trade, investment and public services.
Uganda will host the 19th Summit under the theme ‘Deepening cooperation for Shared Global Affluence’.
During the summit, which will be held at the Speke Resort Munyonyo in January 2024, President Yoweri Museveni will take over the chairmanship of the organization from the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
