GENERAL CONCLUSION MDGs for poverty reduction and human development are taken as compulsory priorities of State policy and the Azerbaijani community. This reflected in the adopted Poverty Reduction Strategy (2003) and will receive development in a series of national programs for the solution of key tasks of MDGs. It is apparent that a national initiative alone is not sufficient for the country to solve the problem of poverty and to promote human development. The Azerbaijani community is showing that they are open to and understand international initiatives on human development and are cooperating with international agencies involved in initiatives for human capital development. The understanding of the role of knowledge, development and application of modern technologies in the achievement of human development goals has made relevant efforts one of the priorities of national policy. This is reflected in the development of the National ICT Strategy, as a key component for development and spread of knowledge and technologies. The consequences of the 1990-1995 economic crisis led to the decrease in GDP production, decrease in financing of research and developments and, finally, to the reduction of the population's opportunities in access to education and knowledge. These consequences, typical for countries with transition economies, still remain obstacles for the development of knowledge and the spread of technologies, despite the economic growth that has taken place in the past seven years. The Azerbaijani community is displaying a readiness to move towards technological progress applying a strategy that simultaneously respects mutual stimulation of economic growth and technological progress. ICT development is an important tool, which will influence both State agencies, civil society institutes, economic and business sectors and social institutes, science, education and culture. Along with the existing obstacles, which the community must overcome, to develop and spread ICT (for example, economic problems, regional and gender disparities in access to ICT), attention must be given to new problems and obstacles. Initiatives in the field of State policy will play an important role in the achievement of the goals of ICT development and ICT diffusion. Particular attention must be paid to reducing regional differences in access to ICT and, in particular, access to Internet. Azerbaijan today has a chance to learn from other international examples, and may have the chance to leapfrog certain technical innovations, thus building up an even more modern and effective communication network. In an effort to solve ICT development-related problems, it is also important to avoid technological incompatibility of systems being used that could negatively affect the solution of the problem as a whole. Diffusion and application of ICT, in particular of the Internet, will increase the degree of the population's awareness of new ideas and developments in sciences and technologies, as well as activities of public and civil institutes. In this context, under realization of the National ICT Development Strategy, citizens' democratic participation is expected to expand. Support of ICT and modern technologies' development by international organizations in Azerbaijan is important in the context of national initiatives and MDGs in the Republic. Given its unique geographical situation, each long range project employing modern technologies, including development of ICT, can have a regional impact, and encourage integrational processes, necessary for international cooperation, stability and regional security.

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