February 13, 2014
World Bank Vice President visits Uzbekistan.. 2
Swift Development of Tourism Industry.. 3
Press-service of MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Society
A Connecting Link
The Public Council under the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan has convened to review the activities in 2013 and outline agenda for the near future.
The role of civil society in monitoring the activities of state authorities and administration has been growing in Uzbekistan. A worthy contribution to this work is made by the Public Council, which consists of members of the Senate and Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, representatives of governmental and civic organizations, figures of culture, arts, science, and serves as a link between the people and the armed forces.
Last year, its work was carried out in accordance with the objectives outlined in presidential decree on establishment of the Public Council under the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan, its own program and events to mark the important dates in the life of the country. The Public Council conducted more than 200 meetings and conversations in the higher military educational institutions and military units to ensure a healthy moral and psychological situation, maintain high morals and culture in military units.
The council held on-site events to familiarize themselves with the results of the implementation of government programs aimed at the improvement of social conditions of the servicemen, social protection of persons discharged to the reserve, conversations with recruits and their families. Particular attention was paid to the activities under the motto ‘Love and Pride of My Native Uzbekistan’, which focused on achievements in the years of independence, the results of large-scale reforms, changes and novelties in the legislation.
The meeting identified the main agenda of the Public Council for the Year 2014. Among the planned works are participation in the implementation of presidential decree on the conscription for military service and dismissal in the Armed Forces reserve of soldiers who had served their terms of service, as well as various cultural and educational events and meetings, aimed not only at maintaining high morals and culture among servicemen but also education of the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism, increasing the prestige of military service.
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
World Bank Vice President visits Uzbekistan
Laura Tuck, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, visited Uzbekistan on February 7-8. This was Ms. Tuck’s first visit to Uzbekistan since becoming regional Vice President in September last year.
The visit focused on the World Bank’s ongoing partnership with Uzbekistan as well as priorities going forward. During the visit, Ms. Tuck held discussions with high-level government officials and visited a health project supported by the World Bank.
“We are pleased to see that Uzbekistan has demonstrated strong growth in the last several years, and that living standards of people in the country have clearly improved,” said Laura Tuck. “We appreciate our long-term cooperation with Uzbekistan, which aims to ensure that the growth is sustainable and its benefits are shared across the population.”
During the meetings with high-level government officials, Ms. Tuck reviewed the World Bank Group’s current Country Partnership Strategy with Uzbekistan for 2012-2015, and noted that its implementation is largely on track, including provision of analytical and advisory services and delivery of projects. She also discussed the World Bank’s cooperation with the government on the long-term national development vision “Uzbekistan Vision 2030”, aimed at helping the country move to upper-middle income country status. Issues of water and energy in Central Asia were also discussed.
While recognizing the government’s achievements in maintaining stable economic growth, sound fiscal management, and low level of external debt, Ms. Tuck also discussed issues where further progress is needed. “One of the areas where we would like to continue working with the government is greater openness and transparency, including better access to economic data,” said Ms. Tuck.
As part of the trip, Laura Tuck also visited one of the primary healthcare clinics in Tashkent that participated in the World Bank-financed Health II Project. This project, which aimed to improve the quality and overall cost effectiveness of healthcare services in Uzbekistan, helped to deliver new medical equipment to more than 2,000 rural health clinics and provide training for almost 4,000 general health practitioners. One of the most important achievements of the project is its contribution to the introduction of per capita financing for primary healthcare.
Uzbekistan joined the World Bank in 1992. The World Bank’s mission in the country is to improve people’s livelihood by supporting economic reforms, contributing to the modernization of the country’s social sectors and infrastructure, and sharing its knowledge and experience with the government and the people of Uzbekistan. The World Bank’s current commitments to Uzbekistan amount to over US$1 billion.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
tourism
Swift Development of Tourism Industry
Uzbekistan with its unique monuments of ancient architecture, ancient civilization, beautiful corners of nature also strives to become one of the major travel powers.
Last year alone, about 2 million foreign tourists visited Uzbekistan. They familiarized with more than seven thousand objects of cultural heritage, historical monuments, ancient architecture and culture, including the cities of Samarqand, Bukhoro, Khiva and Qarshi, which quite long time ago were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The total volume of tourist services on the basis of the past year increased by more than 16 percent compared to 2012, exports of services – 9 percent. To the beginning of 2014, more than 900 tourism organizations operate in Uzbekistan, including more than 400 hotels and 500 travel companies.
Foreign tourists are attracted by the country’s prevailing peace and stability, the atmosphere of mutual respect and consent, and widely known Uzbek hospitality.
Extensive network of commercial banks provide foreign guests a wide range of services, including payment by credit card. Most part of the country is covered with mobile communication with Internet access, due to which guests are always aware of world events, keep in touch with close ones, in a word, get the whole complex of familiar services.
Since the start of operation of high-speed trains ‘Afrosiyob’ there has been significantly increased the number of foreign tourists in the route Tashkent – Samarqand. And recently at the Tashkent International Tourism Fair has been held a presentation of the high-speed train ‘Afsona’, which works on individual requests of tourism organizations.
The country’s tourism potential is widely promoted abroad. The bright event at that was the demonstration on Euronews since October 2013 of the TV programs of the series Life. First stories devoted to Samarqand, Qarshi, Bukhoro and Khiva, already watched by millions of people, and recently started regular broadcasting of a commercial about the rich historical, cultural and tourist potential of Uzbekistan. Multi-million international audiences continue the familiarization with videos about our country. Undoubtedly, the fruits of such media campaign will be the increase of flow of visitors from abroad.
Presentation of tourist potential of the country in major international tourism fairs and exhibitions in Spain, Germany, UK, Italy, France, Japan, Russia, Turkey and Latvia, colorful videos each time cause a new wave of interest of foreign partners. Held in October last year, the Tashkent International Tourism Fair ‘Great Silk Road’ brought together representatives of travel agencies and organizations from more than 20 countries. Uzbekistan was presented with an individual section. Exposition covered all spheres and directions giving the opportunity to sign a lot of contracts and protocols of intentions. There were appeared dozens of foreign travel agencies wishing to operate in our market. The project ‘mega-info-tour’ is being implemented as well, the familiarization tours for representatives of tourism companies and foreign media.
“Projects in Uzbekistan are gaining momentum, says the chairman of the National Company
‘Uzbekturizm’, Farrukh Rizaev. “So, the flow of foreign visitors to our country will increase. Practical implementation of the assigned tasks for this and subsequent years will help create efficient and competitive modern tourist complex in the country, meeting the needs of foreign visitors due to the high quality and diversity of services.
All conditions are being created so that the tourism sector has become one of the important components of the economic sector of the country. And it is a huge contribution to the creation of new jobs, and increasing the population welfare.”
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)