Vice-president of ANAS, director of the Institute of Information Technology, academician Rasim Alguliyev commented on the 2nd EapConnect project of the Eastern Partnership countries in an article published in “GEANT Connect” magazine: “I supposed that the new project will introduce more 'smart' network services under the challenges of the IV industrial revolution and the impact of artificial intelligence technologies.”

It should be noted that the second phase of GEANT's EaPConnect project was launched in July 2020. The EU-funded 60-month EU4Digital project brings together Research and Education communities from the European Union and the Eastern Partnership, as well as building on the achievements of the first project to reduce the digital divide.

The main goal of the project, funded by the European Union EU4Digital initiative, is to achieve long-term sustainability of EaPConnect partners and demonstrate its value. Among the goals of the project are to expand the network infrastructure to facilitate scientific exchange, offer new services, and strengthen the position of the national Research and Education networks of the Eastern Partnership countries in the national Research and Education ecosystems in those countries.

The EaPConnect project aims to create an e-science infrastructure covering the Eastern Partnership countries (Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, etc.) and provide easy access to high-speed, broadband Internet for millions of scientists, faculty and students in research and educational institutions in these countries. The Partners will work together through conferences, seminars, trainings and other collaborative activities to achieve the project's objectives and ensure the sustainability of education and research networks in the Eastern Partnership region.