March 26, 2014
Additional terms created to develop internal tourism.. 2
Delegation of Uzbekistan visits France. 3
Number of population in Uzbekistan reaches 30.48 million persons. 5
Uzbekfilm presents a new motion picture. 5
Press-service of MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan
economy
The State Joint Stock Railway Company Uzbekistan Railways has purchased new equipment for quality control pathways
Uzbekistan Railways is one of the brightest examples of successful development based on introduction of modern equipment and new technologies. Confirmation of this is a purchase of railway technical complex from the Austrian company Plasser&Theurer, which was presented at the Tashkent Central Station.
Commitment of the domestic railwaymen to innovations is quite understandable. Today railways play a huge role in the life of the republic and the modernization of the economy, because it carries 60% of passengers and 70% of cargo. This is technological equipment for upgrading and construction companies, power plants, food, consumer products for different regions and etc. Therefore railwaymen are constantly in the process of implementing a number of unique projects – building new steel backbone electrified acting, improve the quality of services provided to passengers. At this, to the process of its development Uzbekistan Railways approaches comprehensively – along with railroad tracks, necessary infrastructure is created. For example, for building new tracks modern locomotives are bought specially adapted to our conditions- electric locomotives O’zEL, the number of which has reached 38 in the company.
In September 2013, the only foundry and mechanical plant in Central Asia furnished with German equipment was commissioned. Today it started production of 167 kinds of industrial products. Its capacities afford to produce 1200 cars, 950 large-volume containers and to repair 1,500 freight wagons. In addition, the company manufactures spare parts not only for railways, but also for leading engineering companies in the country.
There active work on electrification. Last year, projects on electrification of the sites “Marokand-Qarshi”, “Qarshi-Termiz”, “Tashkent-Samarqand” were implemented. High-speed trains successfully operate: Sharq to Bukhoro, Nasaf to Qarshi and Afrasiob to Samarqand. Particular attention is paid to safety of transportation of passengers and goods, it is the reason why on a regular basis rails and sleepers are checked using the cutting edge technology. The new complex of the Austrian company will focus on this purpose.
“This complex is the sample of the state-of-the-art technology, which demonstrates the company’s commitment to use only reliable and qualitative equipment,” General Manager – Chief Engineer of Khusnitdin Khosil said to Uzbekistan Today correspondent. “It isused to renewing the tracks and capable of carrying out a monthly volume of 20 people’s work during day. We plan to use it throughout the country, but first of all – in the high-speed route Tashkent-Samarqand, the road with particular requirements. The complex is fully computerized, and its two operators-a driver and an assistant – just introduce a specific program and monitor its implementation.
The new railway complex consists of three technological parts, each of which performs its role in construction and path ways quality control. The technology itself strengthens and tamps stones that are automatically stacked under the rails and sleepers, equidis tributes rubble. The speed of the complex is more than five kilometers of railway track within 24 hours. It is planned to supply two more complexes by the end of the year.
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)
Business climate
Additional terms created to develop internal tourism
The Government of Uzbekistan changed requirements to the size of the charter capital of legal entities, which want to provide service s in internal market, to boost number of internal tourists and growth of tourism share in GDP of the country.
Uzbektourism said that the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan issued a resolution “On measures on improving order of licensing and carrying out tourism activity” on 13 March 2014.
The document set that legal entities, which want to provide service s in internal market, should form charter capital at the size, set by the legislation to the organization form of the enterprise. Earlier, they should form a charter capital equal to 50 sizes of minimal salary.
New rules will help to stimulate number of internal tourists and help to boost tourism sector as a whole. Internal tourism will help to provide services to tourists in all seasons.
(Source: Uzdaily.com)
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Infrastructure Journal names Surgil Petrochemical and Natural Gas Complex construction project as the Deal of the Year in Oil & Gas
On March 13, Infrastructure Journal awarded the Global Deal of the Year in Oil & Gas to Surgil Petrochemical and Natural Gas Complex construction project.
Note that construction of Surgil PNGC is realized within a large-scale industry modernization program of our country, which has been approved by the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov. The project is the first of its scale in the petrochemical sector, implemented on the basis of a long-term project financing not only in Uzbekistan, but in the CIS. The project will allow from 2016 the annual production of 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, 400,000 tons of high-density polyethylene, 100,000 tons of polypropylene, 110,000 tons of pyrolysis gasoline with over a thousand new jobs created.
The total project cost is $3.9 billion. The source of financing – direct investment of the founders of the joint venture – South Korean KOGAS, Lotte, STX Energy and Uzbek National Holding Company UzbekNefteGaz in the amount of $1.4 billion, and loans totaling more than $2.5 billion raised on the principles of project financing with limited recourse and loans payment term of 16 years.
In the project financing participate the Asian Development Bank, development banks and leading commercial banks in Europe and Asia, such as Korea Development Bank, Korea Finance Corporation (South Korea), China Development Bank (China), ING (Netherlands), KfW, Bayern LB, Siemens Bank (Germany), Credit Suisse (Switzerland), Nordea, SEC (Sweden), as well as the exports and lending agencies of South Korea, Germany and Sweden, which have provided insurance coverage for the participating banks.
Infrastructure Journal Award is one of the most prestigious awards, along with PFI Thomson Reuters and PFM Euromoney awards, which Surgil PNGC construction project was awarded in 2013.
(Source: UzReport.uz)
Delegation of Uzbekistan visits France
A delegation of Uzbekistan paid a visit to Paris on invitation of the Government of France, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade of Uzbekistan (MFERIT) said.
Within the visit, the fifth session of the Uzbek-French intergovernmental commission on trade-economic cooperation, business forum and roundtable on cooperation in agriculture complex, meetings and negotiations with heads of French companies and organizations were held.
The delegation of France at the session of the intergovernmental commission was led by Minister of Foreign Trade of France Nicole Bricq, who was recently appointed as the co-chair of the commission.
In line with agenda, the sides considered actual issues of bilateral trade-economic cooperation, including expanding bilateral trade, implementation of investment projects in various sectors of economy, promoting joint programmes in agriculture, animal husbandry and viticulture, boosting cooperation in tourism and financial-technical sphere.
Nicole Bricq underlined that the French side pays great attention to strengthening mutual beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan. She called to strengthen role of the commission to promote cooperation projects.
She noted that French companies are interesting in working with Uzbekistan. The French side said that successful projects with Airbus, Technip, Oberthur, Thales and Schneider and other companies formed sustainable positive image of Uzbekistan as long-term and reliable partner. Accor, Air Liquide, Lafarge, Saint-Gobain, Sanofi-Aventis, L’Oreal, and others are interested in implementation new investment projects.
Besides, the French side offered cooperation in transport infrastructure sector. Creation of joint working group under the commission on introduction f advanced experience, modern engineering solutions and new technologies of French companies in development and modernization of transport infrastructure in Uzbekistan was proposed.
Paris overall shares positions of the Uzbek side on environment and rational water use in the Central Asian region. The sides supported idea on establishment of cooperation between the State Nature Committee of Uzbekistan and Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy of France.
France also supported a candidacy of Samarkand city as a venue for the 99th session of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization.
At the session, the sides considered and adopted joint decisions on issues of cooperation in agriculture, animal husbandry, plant-growing, viticulture, implementation of projects with attraction of soft financing of the French Development Agency (ADF).
The Uzbek-French Business forum was held at headquarters of the French business association MEDEF, which was attended by heads and representatives of Ministries of Economy and Finance, External Trade, Tourism, Agriculture and over50 French companies such as Airbus, Accor, Alstom, Areva, L’Oreal, Oberthur, Sanofi-Aventis and others.
Opening the event, chairperson of MEDEF International Christian Mons underlined high interest of French businesses to expanding partnership relations with enterprises of Uzbekistan.
He said that sustainable and dynamic development of economy of Uzbekistan, one of highest economic growth in the world and created conditions for development of business and investment, strengthened with successful joint projects, attract new French companies to bilateral cooperation.
He said that MEDEF International is ready actively support establishing and strengthening long-term business contacts between interested companies of two states, help to implement perspective joint projects through organization of joint events. He called to organize a visit of the French companies to Uzbekistan in the second half of 2014.
In its turn, the delegation of Uzbekistan presented economic and investment potential of the country, as well as concrete investment projects in oil and gas, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, construction materials, agriculture, animal husbandry, viticulture and wine production, processing of fruits and vegetables, tourism sectors.
At the end of the event, French companies received answers to their question on various aspects of investment activities in Uzbekistan, including preferences and privileges, opportunities to export products CIS in free trade regime, development of power sector, including alternative sources of energy, industry, etc. Several bilateral negotiations between Uzbek and French companies were held.
On the initiative of the French side, a roundtable on cooperation in agriculture sector, organized by Ministries of External Trade and Agriculture of France at the support of French Association of Development of Agriculture products and equipment (ADEPTA), was held in Paris.
Representatives of over 40 organization and companies, working in agriculture complex, participated in the event and presented their activities and proposals on perspective directions of interaction with Uzbekistan.
Nicole Bricq said that Uzbekistan and France have many common in economic plan such as powerful agriculture sector and attractive tourism sector. She said the sides should do their best to ensure presence of French companies in Uzbekistan and agriculture sector have reserve for future development. She called companies and agriculture ministries should boost cooperation in this sector.
At the end of the event, the sides agreed to develop cooperation in such priority directions as plant-growing and viticulture, animal husbandry, veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance, research and development programs, skills development.
Taking into account successful experience of participation of French companies in Uzbekistan Agrominitech exhibition, the sides reached agreement on attracting leading French companies to the exhibition, which will take place in May 2014, at the assistance of ADEPTA.
Within the visit, the delegation of Uzbekistan held meetings and negotiations with representatives of the French Development Agency, Airbus, Sanofi-Aventis, Accor, Alstom, Lafarge, Saint-Gobain, L’Oreal, Air Liquide, Oberthur, Intron, Effaj, Vinci, EGIS, BRL and others.
Uzbekistan and France signed a protocol of the fifth session of intergovernmental commission, a memorandum of understanding between MFERIT and French Development Agency on implementation of the project introduction of system of solid waste management in Samarkand city and protocol of intention on cooperation between MFERIT, Uzbektourism and Accor, which envisages that the sides will consider transfer of management of City Palace Hotel in Tashkent to French company.
(Source: Uzdaily.com)
Society
Number of population in Uzbekistan reaches 30.48 million persons
As of 1 January 2014, number of permanent population, according to preliminary data, reached 30.488 million persons and increased in January-December 2013 by 495,100 or 1.7%.
State Statistics Committee said that the number of urban population was 15.553 million (51% of the total number of population) and that of rural population – 14.936 million (49%).
In January-December 2013, the number of births was 674,900. The birth rate was 22.3 pro mil and increased by 1.3 pro mil in comparison with the corresponding period of 2012 (21 pro mil).
In January-December 2013 the number of deaths was 145,000. The death rate was 4.8 pro mil (in January-December 2012 – 4.9 pro mil).
In the structure of total deaths cardiovascular diseases make up 60.4%, neoplasms – 7.7%, accidents, poisonings and traumas – 6.2%, respiratory diseases – 5.9%, diseases of digestive organs – 5.7%.
In January-December 2013, according to the preliminary data, 6,800 children died at the age under one year. Infant death rate was 10.5 pro mil.
Out of the total number of children died at the age under one year 48.6% died of states occurring in perinatal period, 32.2% – respiratory diseases, 7.9% – congenital anomalies, and 4.6% – infectious and parasitic diseases.
About 303,700 marriages and 24,000 divorces were registered in January-December 2013. There were 1 marriages (in January- December 2012 – 10,0 marriages) and 0,8 divorces (in January- December 2012 – 0,6 divorces) per 1000 population.
According to the preliminary data in January-December 2013, the number of immigrants was 153,800 persons and that of emigrants – 188,700 persons. Balance of migration was minus 34,900 persons versus minus 41,000 persons in the corresponding period of 2012.
(Source: Uzdaily.com)
cinema
Uzbekfilm presents a new motion picture
A new feature film ‘Khonadon Egasi’ (Master of the House) is to be screened soon, produced in the Uzbekfilm by the director Yodgor Sadiev to the order of the Uzbekkino National Agency.
At the press conference, the head of the Uzbekkino press service Fakhriddin Nizamov noted that it is a complex psychological drama about the twists and turns of family life. The assigned creative tasks are solved by a whole host of celebrities of the Uzbek cinematography – Yoqub Ahmedov, Fatkhulla Masudov, Khayrulla Sadiev, Lola Eltoeva, and Mahmud Ismoilov.
The film tells the story of Uzbek family values that are passed from generation to generation. The main character of the film, usto Zuhruddin is the head of a large family, who recently lost his beloved wife. The wheelchair-bound man, nevertheless, is making considerable efforts to maintain unity in the family. Three sons have their problems. His daughter also wants to build her life in her own way. A lot of conflicts emerge in this connection, and only the sudden death of the home owner makes family
The Uzbek government has paid a tremendous attention to the creation ofmembers to get united again.
The film director Yodgor Sadiev stressed that script of the picture is a great creative success of the famous writer, playwright and screenwriter Erkin Azam:
“Family is a symbol of eternity of life, and much in this depends on the oldergeneration. When people are together, they can achieve the highest goals. But sometimes we do not understand each other and going down spiritually, as in this film…”
The movie premiered at the Republican Cinema House and the Alisher Navoi Cinema Palace.
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)