January 24, 2014
Production of agriculture products rose 2.3 times. 2
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: Uzbekistan – The Republic of Korea.. 3
Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre to mark its 100th anniversary.. 4
Press-service of MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan
economy
Production of agriculture products rose 2.3 times
The volume of agriculture products in 2013 grew by 2.3 times compared to 2000, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov said at the session of the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan on 17 January 2014.
The session summed up results of social-economic development of Uzbekistan for 2013 and approved main priorities of economic programmes for 2014.
President said that the production of agriculture products rose by 2.3 times in 2013 compared to 2000. He said that last year agriculture production rose by 6.8%, including plant growing – 6.4% and animal husbandry – 7.4%.
He added that the share of agriculture production in the gross domestic product (GDP) is decreasing despite the growth of agriculture production (from 30.1% in 2000 to 16.8% in 2013).
President Islam Karimov said that this show deep structural changes and gradual reforms in Uzbekistan. He said Uzbekistan is moving from agriculture country to industrially developed state.
He said that Uzbekistan is carrying out thoughtful policy on optimization of sown area and crop zoning allowed to decrease cotton production and increase production of other agriculture crops.
He said that compared to 2000 production of wheat rose 2 times, potatoes – 3.1 times, vegetables – 3.2 times, grape – 2 times, meat and milk – 2.1 times, eggs – 3,4 times.
President Islam Karimov said that last year the dehkans produced record 7.8 million tonnes of wheat, 8.4 million tonnes of vegetables and 3.36 million tonnes of raw cotton.
He expressed his gratitude to the farmers, who achieved such great results in 2013.
At the same time, he said that Uzbekistan creates multifield farms, which produce agriculture products and process them, render services to population. Currently, number of such farms reached 18,000, he added.
At the meeting, he said that Uzbekistan should work on improve soil conditions and work on creation of modern high efficient crops and agriculture technologies, as well as improve water use.
President said that Uzbekistan improved conditions of about 1.5 million hectares of irrigated since 2008. He said that the size of land with critical level of occurrences of underground waters decreased by 415,000 hectares or 10%. Number of heavy and medium saline lands fell by 113,000 hectares.
He recalled that Uzbekistan adopted the State programme on complex measures on improving land reclamation of irrigated lands and rational use of water resources for 2013-2017. He said that the state bodies and local administration should ensure full implementation of the programme, while the Cabinet of Ministers should undertake measures to control the realization of the document.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
Demand for Good Roads
Transport infrastructure, being based on motorways, is one of key pillars of modern economic system. It is especially relevant for Uzbekistan with its 85 % of freight and more than 95% of passenger traffic.
Modern roads are not just a way from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’, but the whole range of technologies and solutions, providing drivers with quality and safety. The requirements for them are constantly growing: the coating must withstand heavy loads, different temperature conditions, be undemanding to precipitation, and optimally reliable. Besides, road construction is not limited by the road bed, traffic signs, road interchanges, bridges and other related components of this process. Today roads undergo integrated development with all the necessary infrastructure: filling stations, hotels, campsites, parking, public service facilities.
In this context, Uzbekistan ranks among the region’s leaders. In the first nine months of 2013 the construction and reconstruction of the Uzbek national highway drew 633.4 billion soums (Currency rates of CB from 24.01.2014 1$=2203.39 soums), of which 537.8 billion soums was the share of the Republican Road Fund, and 95.6 billion soums – foreign loans. Overall builders constructed and reconstructed 318 kilometers of roads, including the important routes like Tashkent-Osh (15 km), Guzar- Bukhoro-Nukus -Beyneu (130 km), and a new direction of Tashkent bypass (8 km).
Experts note that the better the country’s roads, the more efficient and competitive the real sector is, the production of which depends on transport costs. Modern economy is built on cooperation: one company can manufacture goods at Navoi FIEZ, get raw materials from Karakalpakstan, and deliver the finished articles to Tashkent, CIS countries and Europe. Under these conditions, the better the transport component, the cheaper the final product is. Therefore, Uzbekistan has been assigning a big part to the upgrade of the road network. 4,500 km of roads of international and national importance have been completely reconstructed over the years of independence . 176 bridges, 20 viaducts and road junctions complexes with a total length of 4,638 linear meters were built and repaired.
On the other hand, the progress would not be feasible without drastic logistical and intellectual changes. Over the past years, the road construction machinery fleet has been completely upgraded both in technology and equipment by leading manufacturers. Meanwhile, hardware is always just a bulk of metal without human power. Young and qualified staff was trained and engaged in shorts terms.
Construction of new asphalt and concrete-coated roads, as well as reconstruction of existing roads in line with current standards is the main trend at the present stage of road construction. Unlike conventional asphalt such coatings are capable to withstand bigger loads, which is especially important for the extreme continental climate of Uzbekistan. Previously, it often happened that asphalt of domestic roads concertinaed from the heat after heavy trucks passed. Presently this problem has been avoided due to the introduction of new technologies. Moreover, new coatings are smoother and simple in maintenance. In general, in 2011-2015 it is planned to build 1,410 km of four-lane highways, of which 474 km of cement concrete coating, 648 km – with asphalt concrete coating, and another 288 km will be two-lane asphalt- coated roads.
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: Uzbekistan – The Republic of Korea
Tomorrow Begins Today
South Korea can be regarded one of the flagship and strategic partners of Uzbekistan. Thanks to the country of morning freshness, the unique projects that have doomed a long term dynamics of development of the national economy were launched across the country.
There are few states in the world that not just have an advanced metalworking, chemical, electrical industry, but can convert the output of these industries in the creation of a single product – a car. The uniqueness of this industry lies in the fact that any car comprises hundreds of different components supplied by dozens of companies across the country. Putting the components together on a single technological platform is a complicated task, which, though, was in the power of Uzbekistan and South Korea. In 1992, the official visit of Islam Karimov to South Korea built the foundation for the partnership, the successful outcomes of which travel both the roads of Uzbekistan and the CIS. In 1993, the parties established a joint venture UzDaewooAuto on a parity basis, which in three years launched a cutting edge car plant in Asaka.
In early days, the company manufactured the machinery mainly consisting of imported components. Later on the manufacture of car components was localized, leading to cost reduction of automobiles. Damas, Tico and Nexia were the first models. This year marks the 18th anniversary of the domestic automobile industry, so it is hard to believe that such a long way from the regional assembly plant to the global automotive brand was passed in such a short time. But it’s true: the synergies of the two countries gave rise to Central Asia’s first automotive industry.
The project of construction of Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex (GCC) at Surgil deposit is another Uzbek-South Korean global initiative, which last year was ranked by Thomson Reuters Company, the global leader in business intelligence, as the best in the category the ‘Year’s Top Deal in Oil and Gas Chemistry’. The institution of gas and chemical complex was supported by both governments, and presidents attended the groundbreaking ceremony. The total project cost is estimated at about $4 billion including direct investments of Korean companies Kogas, Honam, CTX Energy and the National Holding Company Uzbekneftegaz totaling $1.4 billion. Another $2.54 billion are loan funds raised for project financing. The project will ensure annual production of 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, 400 tons of high-density polyethylene, 100 thousand tons of polypropylene, 110 tons of pyrolysis gasoline with the creation of more than 1,000 new jobs directly at the complex. The construction of various infrastructure facilities is currently underway at GCC.
Another large-scale project is currently being shaped, but its prospects are huge. This year Uzbekistan will start implementation of a range of initiatives on solar energy development, and South Korea is ready to partner our country in this direction. According to South Korean news agencies, the Korean President Park Geun-hye told about that during her meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Rustam Azimov late last year. It is envisaged that Uzbekistan will launch the construction of the first solar power plant, and equip social facilities with solar equipment. Korea, with its rich experience in this field, is the optimal partner to provide Uzbekistan with proven technologies and professional specialists.
Another co-operated project on the establishment of up-to-date facilities for the production of technical silicon, which is used for the production of solar arrays, is being developed concurrently with solar initiatives. One of manufactures of this kind was launched on the basis of Uzbek-South Korean joint venture Uz-Kor Silikon in Navoi in autumn 2012. At its full capacity the processing facility is capable of producing 12,000 tons of technical silicon, and mining complex – 39,000 tons of quartz ore annually. Uz-Shindong Silicon JV is currently finalizing a project on building the second silicon plant with the capacity of 5,000 tons per year in the special industrial zone Angren.
It is noteworthy that Korea partnered Uzbekistan in the institution of the first in Uzbekistan international multimodal logistics hub on the basis of Navoi airport. Korean Air actively assisted the Uzbek side with that. In 2008, the national air carrier Uzbekistan Airways signed an agreement with Korean Air which pushed the establishment of this unique facility. Since then the airport has undergone tremendous changes. New parking was built for heavy aircraft Boeing-747, a new cargo terminal was commissioned, which is able to cover the whole range of transport services for receiving goods, their temporary storage and shipment, glideslope system for precise approach. Today the Uzbek and Korean parties are actively working on increasing the freight flow.
The two countries actively work together in the field of high technologies. Uzbekistan invited a group of South Korean experts who currently assist in building of the national system of electronic government. It comprises the best experts, including Kim Nam Sok, the current Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Communication, Information and Communication Technologies, who is in charge for the formation of electronic government, as well as training of related staff.
In general, to date the total volume of Korean investments in Uzbekistan’s economy exceeded $5 billion, of which $2 billion have been already disbursed. 413 companies with Korean capital and 77 accredited representative offices of Korean companies operate in the Uzbek market. These figures clearly demonstrate what a mutually beneficial cooperation has been established between the two countries. There is no shade of doubt that the future of the Uzbek-South Korean relations is solely of glowing colors.
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)
culture
Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre to mark its 100th anniversary
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed a resolution “On celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre” on 22 January 2014.
The resolution underlined huge contribution of the theatre in developing professional theatre art in Uzbekistan and in the region, preserving and augmenting rich cultural heritage and traditions of Uzbek people.
Uzbek leader approved the structure of the organizational committee on holding events, dedicated to the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre.
Islam Karimov entrusted the organizational committee to develop an action plan on preparation and celebration of the anniversary in high level.
The resolution said that the programme should include capital repair of the theatre and its equipment with modern means.
It is planned to prepare and publish a book-album “Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre” and create a documentary film on the theatre.
It is also planned to hold special events at the educational establishments, organizations and mahallas across Uzbekistan.
The main celebration of the 100th anniversary of Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre will be held in September with participation of the theatre collective, veterans and representatives of culture and art, as well as public.
The theatre was founded in 1914, when Abdulla Avloniy created a troupe under the name of Turon. Later, it turned to professional dramatic theatre and it received status of academic theatre in 1937. On 21 September 2001, it was renamed to the Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre with the presidential decree.
(Source: UzDaily.com)