SocGov 2025: Artificial Intelligence for Humanity and Transformation

Your Excellency Mr. Anar Aliyev,
Distinguished guests, colleagues,

Good morning, and thank you for the kind invitation to join you today.

It is a true pleasure to be here at SocGov 2025: Artificial Intelligence for Humanity and Transformation, and especially meaningful that we gather on United Nations Day, marking 80 years since the founding of the Organization.

Excellencies,

Here in Azerbaijan, we have seen how digital innovation can be a force for inclusion. Over the past decade, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has modernized employment services, strengthened social protection, and placed dignity at the heart of public service.

The creation of the DOST Agency in 2018 was a landmark moment.

The DOST Agency, whose name fittingly means “friend” in Azerbaijani, has redefined how social protection is delivered. 

By unifying over 160 services under one roof through a single-window system, DOST centers have made access faster, more transparent, and more dignified. It brought services closer to people and built trust - especially among those most at risk of being left behind: low-income families, persons with disabilities, women, youth, and rural communities.

These efforts are not just national milestones, they are global contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 1 on ending poverty, SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, and SDG 10 on reducing inequalities. 

Azerbaijan’s experience is now being studied by other countries as a blueprint for reform: a system that is digital, but deeply human. 

The United Nations has been proud to accompany the Government on this journey.  Together, we have supported the modernization of social services, digital transition, inclusive employment policies, and the protection of vulnerable groups.

Our partnership is rooted in a shared commitment: to ensure that every individual - regardless of background, ability, or circumstance- is part of Azerbaijan’s progress.

Excellencies,

The theme of this conference — Artificial Intelligence for Humanity and Transformation — could not be more timely. 

Around the world, artificial intelligence is reshaping how we govern, how we work, and how we care for one another. 

In a world transformed by technology, the question is not whether we use AI, but how we use it.

At the 80th session of the UN General Assembly just weeks ago, the Secretary-General called for a new era of global cooperation on AI. 

He launched the Global Dialogue on AI Governance and announced the formation of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI - the first of its kind - to ensure that AI is developed and deployed in line with the values of the UN Charter.

In Azerbaijan, these global conversations resonate deeply. 

AI can help us anticipate needs, personalize services, and reach those who might otherwise be missed. It can streamline delivery, reduce errors, and allow frontline workers to focus on what machines cannot do- listen, empathize, and care. 

But we must also be vigilant. AI must not widen the digital divide or entrench bias. It must be shaped by ethical standards, national priorities, and the lived realities of people on the ground. 

AI can be a powerful tool across sectors — helping social services anticipate needs, tailoring education to individual learners, and matching workers with opportunities. 

But its success depends on people: on digital literacy, inclusive policies, and the empowerment of every individual to shape the future. Azerbaijan’s reforms show that when innovation is guided by compassion and equity, technology becomes a force for dignity and progress.

Azerbaijan’s digital reforms show what is possible when vision meets action. When tradition and innovation walk hand in hand.

On this United Nations Day, as we mark 80 years of multilateralism, let us recommit to a simple but powerful idea: that technology must serve humanity ,  not the other way around.

The United Nations stands ready to support Azerbaijan in ensuring that AI becomes a driver of inclusion, dignity, and sustainable, green development.

Your leadership, Minister Aliyev, and the dedication of your teams give us confidence that Azerbaijan will continue to lead with purpose and inspire others to follow.

Thank you, and I wish you a dynamic and forward-looking conference.